Wed Apr 09 07:21:09 UTC 2025: ## Jailed Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Granted 21-Day Furlough

**Chandigarh, April 9, 2025** – Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the convicted rape and murder accused chief of the Dera Sacha Sauda sect, has been granted a 21-day furlough, sources confirmed. Singh, who is serving a 20-year sentence for raping two disciples, was released from Sunaria jail in Rohtak, Haryana, this morning. He is expected to spend the furlough period at the Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters in Sirsa.

This is not the first time Singh has been released temporarily. He was previously granted a 30-day parole in January, preceding the Delhi Assembly elections, and a 20-day parole in October 2025, before the Haryana Assembly polls. A 21-day furlough was also granted in August 2024, and a three-week furlough in February 2022, shortly before the Punjab Assembly elections. This pattern of releases coinciding with elections has drawn criticism from Sikh organizations like the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.

Furthermore, the Punjab and Haryana High Court acquitted Singh and four others last year in a 2002 murder case, citing flawed investigation. Previously, a special CBI court had sentenced them to life imprisonment for the murder of the sect’s former manager, Ranjit Singh.

The Dera Sacha Sauda has a substantial following across several states, including Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan. The timing of Singh’s release continues to fuel controversy and raise questions about the potential influence of the Dera’s large following in the political landscape of the region.

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