Jailed ‘Saint’ Rampal Gets Bail After Over 11 Years Behind Bars
Punjab and Haryana High Court grants interim relief to the self-styled godman serving life imprisonment for sedition, as his supporters begin rallying across Haryana
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted bail to Rampal, the controversial head of the Satlok Ashram, who has been lodged in Hisar Central Jail-2 for over 11 years in connection with a sedition case. The 77-year-old self-styled spiritual leader was convicted in 2018 and sentenced to life imprisonment following a dramatic standoff at his Barwala ashram in November 2014 that left six people dead.
The Long Road to Bail
Rampal has been in custody since November 19, 2014, when police arrested him from the Satlok Ashram in Barwala, Hisar district, after a prolonged and tense siege. The arrest followed his repeated failure to appear before the High Court in a contempt of court case filed by the Rohtak Bar Association, stemming from a 2006 clash between his supporters and members of Arya Samaj at Karauntha Ashram in Rohtak, in which a young man was killed.
When police moved in to arrest him on November 18, 2014, thousands of his followers formed a human shield around the ashram, blocking law enforcement for several days. The standoff turned fatal when five women and an 18-month-old child died inside the ashram. Police were forced to deploy tear gas, water cannons, and considerable force before finally detaining Rampal the following day.
Legal Background
Hisar’s Advocate Kuldeep, who has followed the case closely, confirmed that Rampal faced a total of 14 criminal cases, of which he has already been acquitted in 11. The High Court had previously suspended his life sentences in case numbers 429 and 430. The current bail relates to sedition case number 428, which involved nearly 1,000 accused — the majority of whom have already been granted bail. Rampal’s own bail application was rejected by the Hisar Court as recently as September 22, 2025, prompting him to approach the High Court.
Release Process Underway
Hisar Central Jail-2 Superintendent Umesh Kumar confirmed that the High Court’s bail order would first be processed through the relevant lower court, where a bond will be executed, before the formal release order reaches the jail. Rampal is expected to walk free shortly after these procedural steps are completed.
Fresh Political Concerns
Even before his release, intelligence reports suggest Rampal has been quietly mobilising public support from behind bars. Honour ceremonies organised in his name have been held at multiple locations across Haryana, with a dedicated team reportedly managing logistics and outreach on his behalf — raising fresh concerns among authorities about his renewed influence.
