Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, currently serving life in jail on charges of rape and murder, has been granted a 21-day furlough by jail authorities today.
The self-styled godman was granted furlough for the first time after being convicted nearly four years ago.
Last year, Singh, already serving a 20-year jail sentence for sexually assaulting two of his disciples, was handed a life term in a case of murder of a former associate. Rahim was lodged at the Sunaria jail in Rohtak, Haryana.
Singh had been granted leave from jail thrice before on medical grounds and to meet his mother.
The Dera Sacha Sauda has a large number of followers in the Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, that are headed to the polls in the bear future.