Gurmeet Ram Rahim, the chief of Dera Sacha Sauda, ​​has once again been released from jail. He stepped out of Rohtak's Sunaria Jail at 6:30 AM on Tuesday (May 26) on a 30-day parole and reached the Dera headquarters in Sirsa around 9:15 AM. His convoy comprised eight luxury vehicles, including models such as the Toyota Land Cruiser and Fortuner Legender.

This marks the 16th parole for Ram Rahim, who is currently serving a life sentence for the sexual exploitation of female disciples (Sadhvis). This is the second time he has been released from jail within just the first five months of this year. In January 2026, he was granted a 40-day parole and returned to jail in February. Since his conviction in 2017, the Dera chief has previously been granted parole or furlough on 15 occasions.

Exercising caution, the Rohtak jail administration released Ram Rahim early in the morning to prevent any crowd from gathering. Ram Rahim's convoy entered the Sirsa Dera premises through the rear gate. Following the Dera chief's arrival in Sirsa, the police administration has been placed on high alert. While the number of devotees (Sangat) at the Dera was low in the morning, the crowd is expected to swell as the day progresses. Followers are now eagerly awaiting a message from Ram Rahim.

**Granted 40-Day Parole on January 5**

Ram Rahim was sentenced to 20 years in prison in connection with the sexual exploitation case involving female disciples. He is currently serving his sentence at Sunaria Jail. On January 5, he was released from jail on a 40-day parole. That occasion coincided with 'Shah Satnam Day.' During that period, he stayed at the Dera's headquarters in Sirsa. On previous occasions when he was out of jail, he had stayed at the Dera's ashram in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh.

Immediately upon his arrival in Sirsa, he released a video message to his followers, urging them to strictly adhere to the instructions issued by the Dera officials. Imprisoned Since 2017

In fact, the convict Ram Rahim has been in jail since August 25, 2017, when he was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment in two cases related to the sexual exploitation of female disciples (Sadhvis). On January 17, 2019, he was sentenced to life imprisonment in the murder case of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati.

However, the Punjab and Haryana High Court subsequently acquitted Dera Sacha Sauda chief Ram Rahim in the Ram Chander Chhatrapati murder case. Nevertheless, the court upheld the convictions of three co-accused: Kuldeep Singh, Nirmal Singh, and Krishan Lal.

Furthermore, in October 2021, a CBI court sentenced him to life imprisonment in the murder case of Dera manager Ranjit Singh. Three years later, the Punjab and Haryana High Court acquitted the Dera chief in this case as well.

What are Parole and Furlough—the mechanisms through which Ram Rahim is released?

Parole: A prisoner may be granted parole if they have completed a certain portion of their sentence. Prisoners are granted parole only under special circumstances—such as the death or illness of a family member, the marriage of a close relative, or other compelling reasons. There are two types of parole: Regular and Custody. Under Regular Parole, the prisoner is allowed to remain at liberty, whereas under Custody Parole, the prisoner is accompanied by police personnel.

Learn about Furlough as well: A prisoner does not require any specific special circumstances to be eligible for furlough; it is their legal right. Every state has formulated its own specific rules and guidelines regarding furlough. While the rules and guidelines across many states are largely similar, the actual procedure for obtaining furlough varies from state to state.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has acquitted Ram Rahim of Dera Sacha Sauda in the journalist Ramchandra Chhatrapati murder case. However, the court upheld the sentences of three accused, Kuldeep Singh, Nirmal Singh, and Krishan Lal.

Earlier, on January 17, 2019, a special CBI court in Panchkula sentenced Ram Rahim and all the other accused to seven years in prison. The accused had filed a petition against this in the High Court.

Delivering the verdict, the High Court stated that there was insufficient evidence to prove Ram Rahim's involvement in the murder, resulting in his acquittal.

Ram Rahim had previously been acquitted by the High Court in the murder of Dera manager Ranjeet. However, the CBI has challenged this sentence in the Supreme Court. Ram Rahim has been sentenced to 10 years in prison in the sexual exploitation of sadhvis case. Consequently, Ram Rahim will remain in prison.

Meanwhile, Ramchandra's son, Anshul, commented on the court's decision, saying that the CBI had argued the case well and presented all the evidence. It is wrong to exonerate Ram Rahim. We will now approach the Supreme Court.

Murder in 2002
Journalist Ramchandra Chhatrapati had published some serious allegations against the Dera in his newspaper, after which he was shot and killed in 2002. This caused a significant uproar. The investigation was subsequently handed over to the CBI. After a lengthy hearing, the CBI Special Court convicted the Dera chief and other accused in the case, sentencing them to life imprisonment. All the accused filed appeals against this decision in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The High Court stated: Lack of evidence
During the hearing in the High Court, the defense and the CBI argued, but the court found the evidence insufficient. Meanwhile, against Kuldeep, Nirmal, and Kishan Lal, the court found that the evidence and witnesses available against them clearly established their roles. On this basis, the High Court upheld his life sentence.

Read what Ram Rahim's lawyer argued...

He was hit by a bullet made of soft lead: In court, Ram Rahim's lawyer, Basant Rai, argued that evidence had been tampered with. The bullet that struck the journalist was made of soft lead. This bullet is used in sniper and military equipment. Now, 23 years have passed, the marks and signatures on it are no longer visible.
The box was unsealed: Lawyer Basant Rai stated that the box in which the bullet that struck the journalist was kept had an AIIMS seal and the signature of a forensic expert. The box was also brought to court sealed. If the seal was never opened, how did the FSL expert examine the bullet? It's also unclear whether the marks were on the bullet or the box.
The High Court stated that there were no visible marks on the bullets. During the hearing, the High Court noted that no marks were visible on the bullets. The court asked the complainant's lawyer whether the forensic expert had signed the bullets or the container. The lawyer argued that the expert's signature was on the container. The bullets no longer bear any signature marks. Only after an investigation will it be clear whether the bullets were also signed.

Now, read in 2 points... Who was journalist Chhatrapati?

Published a letter about sexual abuse: Journalist Ramchandra Chhatrapati was a resident of Sirsa district, Haryana. In 2000, he left his law practice and started his own newspaper in Sirsa. In 2002, someone sent him a letter detailing the sexual abuse of nuns at the Dera. Chhatrapati subsequently published the letter in his Evening Time newspaper on May 30, 2002. Shot dead with five bullets: After the letter was published in the newspaper, Chhatrapati began receiving repeated threats. Despite this, he continued to write against the Dera. The family alleged that he received repeated threats over a period of three to four months. On the night of October 19, 2002, Ramchandra was shot dead with five bullets while he was outside his home. He died two days later, on October 21, while undergoing treatment.