Supreme Court Dismisses SGPC Plea Against Parole of Controversial Sect Leader

The Supreme Court dismissed a plea from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee challenging the temporary release of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. Singh, serving a 20-year jail term for rape, was previously granted parole, prompting allegations of misuse of power by Haryana state authorities.

The Supreme Court on Friday rebuffed an appeal from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), which opposed the temporary release of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, head of Dera Sacha Sauda. Singh is currently serving a 20-year sentence for raping two disciples.

A panel of Justices B R Gavai and Prashant Kumar Mishra dispensed with the plea that challenged an order by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which had been petitioned against Singh's release. The court noted the objection raised by Singh's legal representatives regarding the PIL's validity.

The SGPC raised concerns of bias in the Haryana government's decision to repeatedly grant parole to Singh between 2022 and 2024 under the Haryana Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act. Despite the high court's directions for impartiality, parole was granted again in January, leading to calls for further legal action.