Eight years, 15 paroles: Impossible to ignore pattern of paroles for Gurmeet Singh
Jailed Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Singh, convicted of raping two of his disciples and serving a life sentence for the murder of a journalist, has once again been granted parole, this time for 40 days. Approved on January 3, this marks the 15th temporary release he has received since his first conviction in 2017.
The pattern is by now impossible to ignore. Parole after parole, furlough after furlough, the man sentenced to 20 years for rape and life imprisonment for murder has spent a significant portion of his sentence outside prison walls. His latest release will see him stay at the headquarters of his Sirsa-based organisation, a familiar arrangement from previous paroles, including earlier stints at Dera ashrams in Uttar Pradesh.
This is not an isolated administrative decision but part of a long and troubling sequence. In August last year, he was granted another 40-day parole. Before that came a 21-day furlough in April, a 30-day parole in January ahead of the Delhi assembly elections, and a 20-day parole in October just before Haryana went to the polls. Go further back and the pattern repeats itself with striking regularity, relief timed uncomfortably close to elections, public campaigns, or politically sensitive moments.
Each release has been defended as being “within the rules.” But when rules begin to function only for the powerful, legality stops being a shield and becomes an indictment. Ram Rahim is not an undertrial or a first-time offender. He is a convicted rapist and murderer whose crimes led to violence, deaths, and long-lasting trauma. The question is no longer whether parole is technically permissible, but whether the spirit of justice is being systematically hollowed out.
Dera Sacha Sauda’s large and politically relevant following across Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and neighbouring states is an open secret. Districts like Sirsa, Fatehabad, Hisar, and Kurukshetra have repeatedly seen the group’s influence reflected in electoral calculations. Against this backdrop, repeated paroles begin to look less like humanitarian considerations and more like transactional governance.
For survivors, journalists, students activists and ordinary citizens, the message is chilling. Sentences handed down by courts appear negotiable. Justice seems elastic, strict for some, endlessly flexible for others. Every parole chips away at public faith in the criminal justice system and reinforces the belief that power, not principle, determines outcomes.
At some point, the question must be asked plainly: if a man convicted of rape and murder can step out of jail again and again with clockwork regularity, what does a life sentence actually mean in this country?
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Experience comes when you play bigger teams in bilateral series: Rashid Khan
Chennai (PTI): Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan called for more bilateral series against stronger cricketing nations after his team signed off from the T20 World Cup on a high, defeating Canada in their final group match here on Thursday.
Afghanistan played some exhilarating cricket, going down to South Africa in a gripping second Super Over after the scores were tied, a humdinger that provided one of the early thrills of the World Cup.
However, the spin-bowling stalwart said Afghanistan could make significant strides if they get regular opportunities to compete against stronger cricketing nations.
"Couple of areas to improve, with the batting, the middle order got a bit stuck against the big teams, and then with the bowling the death overs. That comes when you play the bigger teams in bilateral series," said Rashid after his team defeat Canada by 82 runs, with him returning excellent figures of 2 for 19.
The stalwart said the side had arrived well prepared for the tournament and produced some breathtaking cricket, but admitted the narrow defeat to South Africa proved costly and remained a painful setback.
"We were well-prepared (for the tournament), we played some unbelievable cricket. The game against South Africa, that really hurt everyone. We had to win one of those (first two) games and see how the tournament unfolded. We'll take some positive things from this World Cup and look forward," he said.
With head coach Jonathan Trott set to part ways with the team, Rashid described the departure as an "emotional" moment for the side.
"I think we had some wonderful times with him. Where we are now, he played a main role. It's emotional to see him leave us, but that's how life is. We wish him all the best and somewhere down the line we see him again."
Ibrahim Zadran, who was named Player of the Match for his unbeaten 95 off 56 balls, said it was satisfying to finally register a substantial score after two below-par outings.
"I enjoyed it, didn't play better cricket in first two innings, which I expect. Wanted to back my skills, really enjoyed it. Pressure was there, it's there all the time. I want to put myself in pressure situations and enjoy it," said Zadran.
"Wanted to play positive cricket, rotate strike and punish bad ball, create partnerships and this is what I have done."
