Rohtak, April 9 -- Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who is serving a 20-year jail term for raping two of his disciples, walked out of Rohtak's Sunaria jail on Wednesday after he was granted a 21-day furlough. This is his 13th temporary release from the jail since 2020.

According to jail officials privy to the development, Gurmeet Ram Rahim is headed for the Sirsa-based headquarters of the sect, which he is visiting for the second since his conviction in 2017. "This is the first time he that he will be spending his entire furlough period at the Sirsa-based sect," the jail official, wishing anonymity said.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim's paroles and furloughs have shown a pattern where these collide with elections.

On January 28, just...