Rape convict Dera chief Ram Rahim gets parole again, 16th since 2020
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was released from Sunaria jail on a 30-day parole and left for Sirsa under heavy security. He was last released on a 40-day parole on January 5, 2026, during which he stayed at the Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda ashram.
by Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu · India TodayIn Short
- He left Rohtak jail around 6.30 am amid heavy police security
- Local reports said he headed straight to the Dera headquarters
- He had earlier returned after completing a 40-day parole in January
Convicted Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was granted parole once again on Tuesday and released from Haryana’s Sunaria jail for 30 days, officials said. Ram Rahim left the jail in Rohtak at around 6.30 am under police security and headed towards the Dera headquarters in Sirsa.
This is the 16th time since 2020 that Ram Rahim has been granted parole or furlough. He was last released on a 40-day parole on January 5, 2026. During that period, he stayed at the Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda ashram before returning to jail after completion of the parole term.
Ram Rahim has been lodged in Sunaria jail since 2017 after being convicted in the rape cases involving two women disciples. He is serving a 20-year prison sentence after being awarded two separate 10-year jail terms in the cases. He has also been sentenced to life imprisonment in the murder case of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati.
The repeated parole and furlough granted to the Dera chief have often drawn criticism from opposition parties and social organisations, which have accused the Haryana government of extending undue favour to him. Dera Sacha Sauda has a significant following across Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan.
NUMBER OF TIMES RAM RAHIM GRANTED PAROLE OR FURLOUGH SINCE 2020:
- October 2020 — One-day parole
- May 2021 — One-day parole
- February 2022 — 21-day furlough
- June 2022 — 30-day parole
- October 2022 — 40-day parole
- January 2023 — 40-day parole
- July 2023 — 30-day parole
- November 2023 — 21-day furlough
- January 2024 — 50-day parole
- August 2024 — 21-day furlough
- October 2024 — 20-day parole
- January 2025 — 30-day parole
- April 2025 — 21-day furlough
- August 2025 — 40-day parole
- January 2026 — 40-day parole
- May 2026 — 30-day parole
- Ends