Gurmeet Ram Rahim gets 21-day furlough
Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has been granted a 21-day furlough from prison, marking his 17th release since his 2017 conviction. He is currently serving a 20-year sentence for rape and will spend the duration of his leave at his headquarters in Sirsa.
Why it matters
The frequent granting of temporary release to a high-profile convicted criminal has sparked ongoing public and legal debate regarding judicial consistency in India.
Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, serving a 20-year jail term for raping two of his disciples, has been granted a 21-day furlough. Sources said on Tuesday (August 25, 2026).
He will stay at his Sirsa-headquartered Dera during the period, they said.
It will be the 17th time Ram Rahim will move out of the prison since his conviction in August 2017.
The Dera chief is currently lodged in the Sunaria jail in Haryana's Rohtak.
In May, he was granted a 30-day parole. He was granted a 40-day parole in January.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in