CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday acquitted the Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the murder case of former Dera manager Ranjit Singh.
Division bench comprising Justice Sureshwar Thakur and Justice Lalit Batra of the HC has passed these orders while allowing an appeal filed by Dera chief against his conviction.
The controversial preacher was convicted by special CBI court Panchkula in rape and two murder cases related to killing of journalist Ram Chander Chhatarpati and former Dera manager Ranjit Singh.
He had challenged all the convictions before the Punjab and Haryana high court.
While his appeals in rape cases and Ram Chander Chhattarpati murder case are still pending, he has been acquitted in Ranjit Singh murder case. He is currently confined in Rohtak’s Sunaria jail.
On October 18, 2021 the special CBI court in Panchkula had awarded life imprisonment to Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim and four others. The other accused in the case were Avtar Singh, Krishan Lal, Jasbir Singh and Sabdil Singh. One of the accused had died during the trial. The CBI judge had also slapped a fine of Rs 31 lakh on dera chief, Rs 1.50 lakh on Sabdil, Rs 1.25 lakh each on Jasbir and Krishan and Rs 75,000 on Avtar.
Former dera manager Ranjit Singh was shot dead in 2002 on the directions of the Dera Chief. Ranjit Singh was eliminated for his suspected role in the circulation of an anonymous letter, which narrated how women were being sexually exploited by the dera head.
In its detailed verdict, the CBI court Panchkula had held that there is no manner of doubt to the fact that it was Dera Chief, who was feeling aggrieved by the circulation of the anonymous letter in question wherein severe allegations of sexual exploitation of sadhvis of Dera have been levelled against him only.
Division bench comprising Justice Sureshwar Thakur and Justice Lalit Batra of the HC has passed these orders while allowing an appeal filed by Dera chief against his conviction.
The controversial preacher was convicted by special CBI court Panchkula in rape and two murder cases related to killing of journalist Ram Chander Chhatarpati and former Dera manager Ranjit Singh.
He had challenged all the convictions before the Punjab and Haryana high court.
While his appeals in rape cases and Ram Chander Chhattarpati murder case are still pending, he has been acquitted in Ranjit Singh murder case. He is currently confined in Rohtak’s Sunaria jail.
On October 18, 2021 the special CBI court in Panchkula had awarded life imprisonment to Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim and four others. The other accused in the case were Avtar Singh, Krishan Lal, Jasbir Singh and Sabdil Singh. One of the accused had died during the trial. The CBI judge had also slapped a fine of Rs 31 lakh on dera chief, Rs 1.50 lakh on Sabdil, Rs 1.25 lakh each on Jasbir and Krishan and Rs 75,000 on Avtar.
Former dera manager Ranjit Singh was shot dead in 2002 on the directions of the Dera Chief. Ranjit Singh was eliminated for his suspected role in the circulation of an anonymous letter, which narrated how women were being sexually exploited by the dera head.
In its detailed verdict, the CBI court Panchkula had held that there is no manner of doubt to the fact that it was Dera Chief, who was feeling aggrieved by the circulation of the anonymous letter in question wherein severe allegations of sexual exploitation of sadhvis of Dera have been levelled against him only.