Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the controversial chief of Sirsa based Dera Sacha Sauda and convicted rapist, has been granted a 21-day parole, sparking a legal controversy and political debates across the circles.
Ram Rahim, who has been serving a 20-year sentence since 2017 for raping two disciples, and was also convicted in 2019 for the murder of a journalist, was released from Sunaria jail in Rohtak at 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday. The decision, made public on Tuesday, allows Singh to leave jail in and spend time at the Dera ashram in Barnawa, Uttar Pradesh. As per the record this is the 7th parole the controversial Dera Head had got since June 2022 and under these paroles he was allowed to spend a total 211 days out of jail in past 25 months. It is learnt that the Dera followers across the states Haryana, Punjab, Rajashtan and Uttar Pradesh going to organise grand celebrations to celebrate Dera Head’s 57th birthday falling August 15.
The parole was granted three days after the Punjab and Haryana High Court had made it clear that the Haryana govt is competent to take decisions regarding his release under the statutory provisions.
The High Court had passed these orders while disposing of the plea filed by SGPC seeking directions not to release the dera chief on parole or furlough.
