Gurmeet Ram Rahim, head of the Dera Sacha Sauda, has been granted a 21-day furlough from Sunaria Jail in Rohtak, Haryana, where he is serving a 20-year sentence for rape and murder. He departed for the Sirsa Dera under heavy security at around 6:30 AM. His previous release was a 30-day parole on January 28, 2025.
During this furlough, he plans to join the 77th anniversary celebrations of the Dera, founded on April 29, 1948, by Saint Shah Mastana. Ram Rahim was sentenced in 2017 for sexually exploiting two disciples and received a life sentence in 2019 for the murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati.
So far, he has been released on parole and furlough a total of 12 times, making this his 13th release. Upon arriving at the Dera, he issued a video message to his followers, wishing them a happy foundation day and encouraging them to adhere to the Dera management’s instructions while emphasizing the importance of service.