15th parole in 4 years, Ram Rahim set for release ahead of Haryana assembly polls on October 5

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the leader of Dera Sacha Sauda and a convicted rapist is set to come out of jail once again following the Election Commission of India’s approval of his parole request on Monday.

This marks his third temporary release in the past nine months and brings his total to 15 since his conviction four years ago.

The impending release of Singh, who holds considerable sway in Haryana and Punjab, is scheduled just days before the Haryana assembly elections on October 5.

His previous furloughs and paroles have consistently taken place alongside various elections, whether for municipal bodies or state assemblies, India Today reported.

During his parole, the Dera Sacha Sauda chief will face restrictions, including a ban on entering Haryana and participation in any election-related activities, whether in person or through social media.

With the Election Commission’s approval granted, the Haryana government is expected to issue his release order soon.

How many times has Ram Rahim come out of jail?

After a 21-day furlough granted on August 13, Gurmeet Ram Rahim returned to Sunaria jail on September 2. Since 2020, the Dera Sacha Sauda chief has been temporarily released 14 times, amounting to a total of 259 days through furloughs and paroles.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s parole on January 19 came just before the Lok Sabha elections, maintaining a trend of releases that often take place alongside electoral events.

He previously received a 21-day furlough during the 2022 Punjab assembly elections and another release on June 17, 2022, shortly before the Haryana municipal elections.

In 2017, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was convicted and sentenced to 20 years for raping two of his female followers. However, he and four others were acquitted by the high court in May regarding the 2002 murder of the sect’s former manager, Ranjit Singh.