The Punjab and Haryana High Court has acquitted Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the self-styled godman and Dera Sacha Sauda chief, in the 2002 murder case of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is currently serving a 20-year jail term for the rape of two disciples and a life sentence for Chhatrapati’s murder.
This acquittal follows a seven-year period since a special CBI court convicted him, sentencing him to life imprisonment. Despite this acquittal, he will remain incarcerated due to his conviction in the rape case. The Division Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Vikram Aggarwal delivered the verdict while hearing appeals challenging the 2019 conviction.
The court also dismissed the appeals of two other accused individuals. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s acquittal comes after the Bench reviewed the evidence, particularly focusing on the controversy surrounding the bullets allegedly used in the crime. In 2019, a special CBI court in Haryana convicted Rahim Singh for the murder of journalist Chhatrapati, along with three other close aides.
Chhatrapati, a journalist from Sirsa, was shot in October 2002 and succumbed to his injuries later. The case was taken over by the CBI in 2003 following orders from the High Court. The investigation revealed that the journalist was shot by individuals associated with Dera Sacha Sauda. Subsequently, arrests were made, and a chargesheet was filed against the accused.
The victim’s son approached the High Court, alleging the involvement of the self-styled godman in his father’s murder and requesting a CBI investigation. After thorough scrutiny, the CBI charged Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and other accused individuals. In 2019, the special CBI court found them guilty of conspiring to murder the journalist, resulting in life imprisonment for the convicted parties.
