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A special CBI court of Panchkula on Monday sentenced Dera Saccha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and four other accused to life imprisonment in the Ranjit Singh murder case. While the prosecution had completed its arguments on the last date of hearing on October 12 and demanded capital punishment, the court had deferred the hearing after the defence council requested time for rebuttal arguments.
Ram Rahim, who is already serving a rape sentence at the district jail of Sunaria in Rohtak, was convicted in the Ranjit Singh case by the special CBI court on October 8 along with the four co-accused, Avtar Singh, Sabdil Singh, Krishan Lal and Jasbir Singh. A fine of Rs 31 lakh, half of which will go to the victim’s son, has also been levied on Ram Rahim.
The court had reserved the order in the case on August 18. It was supposed to be pronounced on August 26 but had been pending owing to Ranjit Singh’s son Jagseer Singh filing a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking transfer of the case to another CBI judge.
Ranjit Singh’s son, Jagseer Singh, speaking to media after the verdict of spectial CBI court in Panchkula on Monday, October 18 2021. (Express photo by Jaipal Singh)
Ranjit Singh, a follower of Ram Rahim and a manager of the dera in Haryana’s Sirsa, was shot dead on July 10, 2002. According to a CBI chargesheet in the murder probe, the Dera chief suspected Ranjit of circulating an anonymous letter among his followers, accusing him of sexually exploiting women followers.
In the last hearing, Ram Rahim, in an eight-page statement submitted to the court, had requested leniency, saying his “philanthropic work” over the years has been exceptional and that crores of followers who now live at the Dera have become his family.
He is currently serving a 20-year jail term for raping two of his women disciples, while also facing life imprisonment for the murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati.
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