Ram Rahim Granted 30-Day Parole Again: Dera Chief Walks Out of Jail for 16th Time Since 2017 Conviction

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Even after nearly eight years behind bars, controversial Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh continues to walk in and out of prison with surprising regularity. On Tuesday morning, the self-styled godman stepped out of Sunaria jail in Rohtak once again after being granted a 30-day parole by Haryana authorities — the 16th time he has received temporary release since his 2017 conviction in a rape case involving two women disciples.

The latest parole has once again triggered sharp reactions from Sikh organisations, legal observers, and political critics, many of whom have long questioned why Ram Rahim repeatedly receives parole despite serving a 20-year sentence.

According to Dera representatives, Ram Rahim will spend this parole period at the sect’s headquarters in Sirsa. While his supporters describe the release as a legal right available to prisoners, critics see a familiar political pattern emerging yet again.

Over the years, many of Ram Rahim’s paroles and furloughs have coincided with major elections in Haryana, Punjab, and Delhi. This timing has repeatedly fuelled allegations that political parties are reluctant to upset the massive voter base associated with Dera Sacha Sauda, which commands influence across several northern states.

His earlier releases before the Punjab Assembly elections in 2022, the Haryana elections in 2024, and the Delhi elections in 2025 had already sparked controversy. Tuesday’s parole has only added to the ongoing debate around whether influential convicts receive preferential treatment under the system.

Ram Rahim was convicted in August 2017 by a special CBI court, a verdict that triggered widespread violence across Haryana and Punjab. Several people lost their lives and public property was damaged as supporters of the Dera chief clashed with security forces after the judgment.

Despite remaining convicted in the rape case, Ram Rahim has recently secured major legal relief in two murder cases connected to incidents from 2002. In 2024, the Punjab and Haryana High Court acquitted him in the murder case of former Dera manager Ranjit Singh. Earlier this year, he was also acquitted in the journalist Chhatrapati murder case, overturning a previous life sentence.

These acquittals, combined with the frequency of his paroles, have kept Ram Rahim at the centre of political and legal discussions.

Sikh organisations, including the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, have consistently opposed his repeated temporary releases. They argue that ordinary prisoners rarely receive such frequent relief and claim the state government’s decisions damage public faith in the justice system.

For now, Ram Rahim will spend another month outside prison walls — but the controversy surrounding his repeated releases shows no sign of slowing down.