New Delhi:
The Supreme Court today issued a notice to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh along with four others, in connection with the 2002 murder case of Ranjit Singh, a former Dera manager. The notice comes after the CBI moved a plea challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s decision to acquit Ram Rahim and his co-accused in the case.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Sanjeev Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar noted that the case is already being heard by a bench led by Justice Bela M Trivedi and the matter will now be listed before her bench for further proceedings.
On July 10, 2002, Ranjit Singh was shot dead in the Khanpur Colony of Haryana’s Kurukshetra. Mr Singh’s murder was linked to his suspected role in the circulation of an anonymous letter exposing allegations of sexual exploitation of women by Gurmeet Ram Rahim at the Dera’s headquarters in Sirsa. The letter, which described how women followers were being abused, had caused public outcry.
In 2021, a special CBI court in Panchkula convicted Gurmeet Ram Rahim and four others – Avtar Singh, Krishan Lal, Jasbir Singh, and Sabdil Singh – for their roles in the murder. The court awarded life imprisonment to all five and imposed substantial fines: Rs 31 lakh on Ram Rahim, Rs 1.50 lakh on Sabdil Singh, Rs 1.25 lakh each on Jasbir Singh and Krishan Lal, and Rs 75,000 on Avtar Singh.
The CBI court’s order concluded that Ram Rahim orchestrated the murder because he suspected Mr Singh’s involvement in circulating the letter that exposed allegations of rape and exploitation.
In May 2024, the Punjab and Haryana High Court overturned the CBI court’s conviction and acquitted all five accused in the Ranjit Singh murder case.
Ram Rahim had appealed his conviction in all the cases against him, including the rape cases and the murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatarpati.
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s conviction in 2017 for the rape of two women followers led to violence and unrest across Haryana, Punjab, and parts of Delhi. The violence resulted in the deaths of 30 people and injuries to over 250. The Army had to be called in to restore order.
In addition to the rape charges, Ram Rahim was also convicted for the murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatarpati, who had extensively reported on the sexual assault allegations against the Dera chief. These convictions resulted in a 20-year prison sentence for the self-styled godman.
