Chandigarh: Serious questions have once again been raised over the Indian justice and parole system after Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who is serving a 20-year sentence for rape and murder, was granted parole for the 15th time. Currently lodged at Sunaria Jail in Rohtak, Haryana, Ram Rahim has been released on parole for nearly 40 days, during which he will stay at the Sirsa-based Dera headquarters.
Since his conviction in 2017, Ram Rahim’s repeated paroles have triggered widespread criticism from legal experts, social organisations, and victims’ families. According to official records, the controversial godman has spent over 405 days outside prison in the last eight years and four months—nearly a full year of freedom despite a sentence for grave crimes.
Pattern of Frequent Paroles
Ram Rahim was first granted parole on October 24, 2021, for one day to meet his ailing mother, followed by another one-day parole in May 2021 on similar grounds. However, the duration and frequency of paroles soon increased.
- February 7, 2022: 21 days during Punjab Assembly elections
- June 17, 2022: 30 days amid Haryana municipal elections
- October 15, 2022: 40 days during the Adampur by-election
- January 21, 2023: 40 days for Shah Satnam Jayanti
- July 20, 2023: 30 days around his birthday
- November 21, 2023: 21 days during Rajasthan Assembly elections
- January 19, 2024: 50 days during Lok Sabha elections
- August 13, 2024: 21 days around his birthday
- October 1, 2024: 21 days during Haryana elections
- January 28, 2025: 30 days during Delhi Assembly elections
- April 9, 2025: 41 days for Dera Sacha Sauda Foundation Day
- August 5, 2025: 40 days around his birthday
- January 3, 2026: 40 days, marking his 15th parole
This consistent pattern—often coinciding with elections, religious events, or personal celebrations—has intensified suspicions of political or administrative leniency.
Legal and Social Concerns
As per parole guidelines, temporary release is meant for humanitarian reasons such as death in the family, serious illness, or urgent personal emergencies. Critics argue that repeated paroles granted for birthdays, elections, or religious occasions stretch the intent of these rules beyond permissible limits.
Social organisations and victim advocacy groups have condemned the repeated paroles. Sikh activist Gyani Ram Singh Khalsa described the practice as “rubbing salt into the wounds of victims,” pointing out that while the release of long-incarcerated Sikh prisoners remains unresolved, a convicted rapist continues to receive repeated parole.
Comparison With Other Convicts
The controversy deepens when compared with other high-profile cases. Asaram Bapu spent over a decade in jail before receiving limited interim bail on medical grounds. In contrast, Ram Rahim has cumulatively spent more than one year outside prison during his sentence. Similarly, the Supreme Court revoked bail granted to former MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in a rape case, highlighting the uneven application of legal discretion.
Political and Ethical Debate
Legal and political analysts suggest that Ram Rahim’s repeated paroles reflect not just legal procedures but also political and social considerations. Granting parole during election periods raises concerns over transparency, equality before law, and misuse of administrative discretion.
Victims’ families argue that such actions deepen their trauma and send a damaging message that influential individuals can enjoy special privileges despite serious convictions.
Call for Transparency and Accountability
The repeated release of Ram Rahim has reignited debate over the true purpose of imprisonment and parole in India. Experts stress that uniformity, transparency, and accountability are essential to maintain public trust in the justice system.
As the controversy continues, the case has become a symbol of a larger concern—whether parole remains a humanitarian legal provision or has evolved into a politically influenced privilege. Observers insist that without clear reforms, such practices risk undermining faith in the rule of law and justice for victims.
