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Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, currently serving a 20-year jail term for raping two of his disciples, is once again out of Rohtak’s Sunaria prison to celebrate his birthday on August 15.
It is the 14th time Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has come out of prison after his conviction in the rape case in August 2017. Singh, who left the Sunaria prison early morning, will remain at the dera’s headquarters in Sirsa during his 40-day parole.
He was released on a 21-day furlough in April last time. In January, he was released on a 30-day parole a week before the Delhi Assembly elections, and stayed at the Dera’s headquarters in Sirsa. In earlier instances, when he was out of jail, he remained at the Dera’s ashram in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat.
On Tuesday morning, he left the prison in a cavalcade of over three dozen vehicles, including bulletproof vehicles, since he also enjoys a Z-category security cover.
Soon after reaching Sirsa, he released a video message to his followers asking them to follow the instructions that the dera authorities would release. Although he is not allowed to assemble his followers at the Dera, he can address them through virtual communication.
Paroles and furloughs given to him have often coincided with the elections in Haryana, Punjab, Delhi or Rajasthan. Several constituencies of these states, especially Haryana, are said to have a sizeable number of the Dera’s followers.
In August 2017, a Panchkula court found Singh guilty on two counts of rape and sentenced him to 20 years in prison. The court also ordered him to pay a fine of Rs. 15 lakh to each victim.
Reacting to the conviction, his followers went on a rampage and entered into a fierce clash with the armed forces. The confrontation resulted in the deaths of over 40 people in Panchkula and Sirsa. The Dera chief was airlifted in a chopper from Panchkula and taken to Rohtak’s Sunaria prison.
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh first came out of prison on October 24, 2020 (1-day parole); then on May 21, 2021 (12-hour parole to meet his ailing mother); February 7, 2022 (21-day furlough); June 2022 (30-day parole); October 14, 2022 (40-day parole).
He was then released on January 21, 2023 (40-day parole); July 20, 2023 (30-day parole); November 21, 2023 (21-day furlough); January 19, 2024 (50-day furlough); August 13, 2024 (21-day furlough); October 2, 2024 (20-day parole); January 28, 2025 (30-day parole); April 9 2025 (21-day furlough) and August 5, 2025 (40-day parole).
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