Punjab :
The Punjab and Haryana High Court acquitted Gurmeet Ram Rahim, the leader of Dera Sacha Sauda, and four others in the murder of Ranjit Singh, the Dera’s former manager. This decision overturns the finding of a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in 2021, which found Ram Rahim and his associates guilty and sentenced them to life in prison.
Ram Rahim’s legal lawyer acknowledged the court’s decision, stating that “Punjab and Haryana HC acquits Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the murder case of his ex-manager Ranjit Singh.” Ram Rahim is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for the rape of two disciples at Sunaria Jail in Rohtak, Haryana.
Ranjit Singh was murdered 19 years ago, on July 10, 2002, at Khanpur Kolian village in Haryana’s Kurukshetra district. Singh was allegedly targeted because he was suspected of being involved in the distribution of a letter documenting incidents of sexual exploitation of women by the Dera chief at the organization’s headquarters.
After being convicted by the CBI court in Panchkula, Ram Rahim and his co-accused filed an appeal with the high court. Avtar Singh, Jasbir Singh, Sabdil Singh, and Krishan Lal were also charged in the case, in addition to the Dera chief. They were initially convicted guilty of numerous provisions of the Indian Penal Code, such as criminal conspiracy, murder, and criminal intimidation.
The case stemmed from an anonymous letter, apparently written by Singh, accusing Ram Rahim of exploiting female followers at the ashram. Ram Chander Chhatrapati, a journalist from Sirsa, used this letter as the foundation for a story. Unfortunately, Chhatrapati was assassinated shortly after publishing the exposé. Ram Rahim was recently found guilty in connection with Chhatrapati’s murder.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court’s decision to acquit Ram Rahim and his followers in the murder case of Ranjit Singh has sparked widespread public attention and debate about the administration of justice in situations involving powerful figures.
