Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Ram Rahim granted 21-day furlough, eighth time during his 20-year jail sentence

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the controversial leader of Dera Sacha Sauda, was granted a 21-day furlough on Tuesday while serving a 20-year sentence for the rape of two female disciples at his ashram in Sirsa. Singh was released from Sunaria Jail at 6:30 AM and is expected to stay at the Dera's ashram located in Baghpat district, Uttar Pradesh.

The 56-year-old self-styled godman is known for his substantial following across Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. This marks the eighth time Singh has been granted furlough under various circumstances, including previous requests to visit his ailing mother.

Furlough, as defined by state regulations, allows a prisoner to be temporarily released after serving a specified portion of their sentence. Singh's latest furlough follows a recent Punjab and Haryana High Court decision, which dismissed a petition opposing his temporary release filed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). The court stated that the appropriate authorities should evaluate the petition without bias.

Earlier this year, on February 29, the high court had advised the Haryana government to refrain from granting further paroles to Singh without its explicit permission.

In June, Singh submitted a request to the high court for a 21-day furlough. In addition to his current sentence for rape, Singh was also convicted in 2019 for the murder of a journalist in 2002. However, in May, the high court acquitted him and four others in the unrelated 2002 murder case of the sect's former manager, Ranjit Singh, citing dubious investigative practices.