Dera Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Granted 20-Day Parole Amid Haryana Polls

Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, convicted of rape and murder, has been granted a 20-day parole. Singh will be staying at the Dera ashram in Barnawa, Uttar Pradesh. The parole comes with restrictions barring him from election-related activities. Opposition parties criticized the timing of the parole ahead of Haryana polls.

Dera Sacha Sauda chief and convicted rapist Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was released from Sunaria jail in Haryana's Rohtak on a 20-day parole. Singh will stay at the Dera ashram in Barnawa, Uttar Pradesh during this period, following his release under tight security on Wednesday.

The state government granted Singh a 20-day parole under strict conditions that prevent him from participating in election-related activities or delivering public speeches. This move is timed just ahead of the October 5 Haryana Assembly elections.

Singh was sentenced in 2017 to 20 years in prison for raping two disciples and was also convicted in 2019 for the murder of a journalist. The parole decision has sparked criticism from opposition parties who allege political motivations. Previously, Singh received parole and furloughs coinciding with election periods in Punjab and Haryana.

(With inputs from agencies.)