The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Saturday acquitted Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, chief of Dera Sacha Sauda, in the murder case of journalist Ramchandra Chhatrapati, overturning a life sentence handed down by a trial court in 2019, his lawyer confirmed.
Ram Rahim had been accused of conspiring in the killing of Sirsa-based journalist Chhatrapati, who had published reports critical of the Dera chief in his newspaper.
In 2019, a Special CBI court had found Ram Rahim guilty in the case and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
Three others, Kuldeep Singh, Nirmal Singh and Krishan Lal, were also convicted in the case and awarded life terms along with a fine of Rs 50,000 each.
However, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Vikram Aggarwal set aside the conviction and acquitted Ram Rahim.
Serving Sentence In Rape Case
Despite the acquittal in the journalist murder case, Ram Rahim continues to serve a 20-year sentence after being convicted in 2017 for raping two of his disciples. He is currently lodged in Sunaria jail in Rohtak.
His conviction had triggered widespread violence in Haryana in August 2017. More than 40 people were killed and dozens injured after clashes broke out between his supporters and security forces in Panchkula and other areas following the verdict.
Earlier Acquittal In Another Murder Case
In another development last year, the High Court acquitted Ram Rahim and four others in the 2002 murder case of former Dera manager Ranjit Singh.
Earlier, a Special CBI court in Panchkula had sentenced the accused, including Ram Rahim, to life imprisonment in that case.
Ranjit Singh, a resident of Khanpur Kolian village in Haryana’s Kurukshetra district, was shot dead on July 10, 2002 while working in his fields.
The self-styled godman was released from jail in January this year after being granted a 40-day parole, officials said. His periodic paroles in the past have drawn criticism from political parties and raised security concerns.
