Rape convict and Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh walked out of Sunaria Jail in Haryana's Rohtak district on Tuesday, August 13, after authorities granted him a 21-day parole. He was released early in the morning at 6:30 am.
Two vehicles arrived at the jail gate to escort Ram Rahim to an ashram in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, where he will be staying during his parole. This release comes just days after the Punjab and Haryana High Court, on August 9, disposed of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee's (SGPC) petition, which challenged the grant of temporary release to the jailed Dera Sacha Sauda chief. The court observed that a plea for temporary release should be considered by the competent authority without any "arbitrariness or favoritism."
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The SGPC, the apex gurdwara body, had argued against the temporary release of Ram Rahim, contending that he was serving multiple sentences for serious crimes, including murder and rape. They warned that his release could jeopardize the sovereignty and integrity of India and adversely affect public order.
Earlier, in June this year, Ram Rahim had approached the high court, seeking directions to grant him a 21-day furlough. On February 29, the high court had instructed the Haryana government not to grant further parole to the Dera Sacha Sauda chief without its permission. Ram Rahim is currently serving a 20-year jail term for raping two of his disciples and had previously been granted a 50-day parole on January 19.