Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Released On 21-Day Furlough

Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who is serving sentences for rape and murder, has been released from prison on a temporary 21-day furlough. The high-profile sect leader walked out of the high-security Sunaria Jail located in Rohtak, in the Indian state of Haryana, marking yet another temporary release during his ongoing imprisonment.

According to the official timeline of events, the temporary release commenced on Tuesday, August 25. Prison authorities confirmed that the Dera Sacha Sauda chief exited the gates of the high-security Rohtak correctional facility at approximately 6:05 in the morning, under the observation of jail officials.

The legal troubles of the sect leader stem from multiple serious convictions handed down by the judiciary over the years. In August 2017, he was formally convicted by a court for the rape of two female followers who belonged to his organization, leading to his initial incarceration at Sunaria Jail where he received two separate prison terms totalling twenty years behind bars.

Further compounding his legal status, the Dera Sacha Sauda head faced additional charges in connection with the high-profile murder of journalist Ram Chandar Chhatrapati. In 2019, the judiciary delivered a subsequent verdict finding him guilty in the journalist's killing, resulting in an additional sentence of life imprisonment.

In a notable legal development concerning his multiple convictions, the Punjab and Haryana High Court issued a ruling in 2024 regarding the separate murder case of Ranjit Singh. The high court acquitted Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh alongside four other co-accused individuals in connection with that specific homicide, setting aside their previous involvement in the matter.