HC acquits Gurmeet Ram Rahim in journalist murder case
What's the story
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has acquitted Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, chief of Dera Sacha Sauda, in the 2002 murder case of Sirsa journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati. The decision was taken by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Vikram Aggarwal. The court overturned Singh's conviction and life sentence handed by a special CBI court in Panchkula in January 2019.
Verdict details
Appeals of 2 other co-accused dismissed
While the court overturned Singh's conviction, it dismissed the appeals of two other co-accused, upholding their convictions. The detailed judgment explaining the reasons for overturning Singh's conviction is awaited, The Indian Express reported. Chhatrapati was shot outside his residence in October 2002 and succumbed to his injuries. The murder drew national attention as it was linked to reports published by Chhatrapati about sexual exploitation inside Dera Sacha Sauda, in particular, allegations against the Dera chief.
Case background
Singh continues to serve sentences for other convictions
Initially, the police investigated Chhatrapati's murder before handing it over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The CBI probe led to charges against Singh and others for conspiring to kill Chhatrapati. In 2019, a special court found them guilty and sentenced them to life imprisonment. Despite his acquittal in this case, Singh continues to serve sentences for other convictions, including rape cases.