Controversial spiritual leader Rampal was released from a prison in Haryana on Friday after securing bail from the Punjab and Haryana High Court in a case linked to violence in 2014, ending more than 11 years of imprisonment.
His relatives and legal team were at the facility to greet him upon release.
Authorities deployed extensive security measures around the jail to ensure public order, as numerous supporters assembled to see the preacher.
On April 8, the court approved bail for Rampal, associated with the Satlok Ashram, in the 2014 incident. The ruling instructed him to refrain from encouraging crowd behavior that could lead to unrest and to steer clear of gatherings where followers might disrupt peace or violate laws.
Rampal had challenged a September 25, 2025, decision by a Hisar court that rejected his bail application.
The April 8 directive came from Justices Gurvinder Singh Gill and Ramesh Kumari, who approved the 75-year-old’s request for bail in one of the violence cases from the Satlok Ashram in 2014.
Rampal faced charges including attempted murder, sedition, and violations under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The police report stated that Rampal and over 900 followers opposed his arrest at the Satlok Ashram in Hisar’s Barwala region in 2014. Prosecutors claimed that many armed supporters assembled, reportedly using women and children as barriers, which escalated into clashes.
In court, Rampal’s attorney noted his client’s age of 75 and that around 900 co-accused from the same report had already received bail. Among them, 140 faced identical charges as Rampal.
The defense also highlighted that only 58 of 425 prosecution witnesses had testified so far, suggesting the trial would extend for a considerable time.
Additionally, the lawyer mentioned that Rampal had been detained since December 8, 2014.
The court observed that given the accused’s prolonged detention exceeding 11 years, his advanced age of 75, and the fact that most witnesses remain unexamined—indicating a delayed trial conclusion—this warranted granting regular bail.
(This report, excluding the headline, originates from a syndicated source and has not been altered by NDTV staff.)
