Rape-convict & Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim's sentencing deferred to Oct 18 in murder case

A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Haryana's Panchkula has deferred the sentencing of Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who was recently convicted for killing his disciple on July 10, 2002. The quantum of self-styled godman's sentence will be pronounced on October 18. 

Ram Rahim held guilty for murder

Last week, the special court convicted Ram Rahim and four others- Jasbir Singh, Krishan Lal, Sabdil and Avtar Singh for the murder. There was one more accused in the case who passed away a year ago. Ranjit Singh, former Dera manager, who was also a follower of Ram Rahim, was murdered in 2002 for his suspected role in circulating an anonymous letter, which exposed that women were being sexually exploited by Ram Rahim at Dera headquarters. 

The Dera chief, according to the CBI charge sheet, believed that Ranjit circulated the anonymous letter and brewed a plan to kill him. The self-styled godman has been in prison since 2017 following his conviction for raping two disciples. In 2017, the sect chief, at present lodged in Sunaria jail in Rohtak, was awarded 20-year imprisonment for raping two disciples. Later, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering a journalist, Ram Chander Chhatrapati.

Other cases against Ram Rahim

Apart from rape and murder charges, the Dera chief is also accused of allegedly castrating more than 400 of his followers. He was also allegedly involved in the 2015 Sri Guru Granth Sahib sacrilege. Ram Rahim was accused of stealing a copy of Holy Guru Granth Sahib from Gurdwara Singh Sabha in Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village after torn pages for the scripture were found at Bargari. CBI is currently investigating the case, while the Punjab police have refuted reports that clean chit has been given to Ram Rahim. 

"On October 12, 2015, 'Angs of Holy Sri Guru Granth Sahib' was founded scatted in Bargari village and FIR was registered under Indian Penal Code sections 295, 120-B at Bajakhana Police station. An SIT headed by Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota, then Director Bureau of Investigation was constituted to investigate the sacrilege case of Holy Sri Guru Granth Sahib at village Bargari," read the Punjab police's statement. "Entire investigation was conducted by CBI, not the SIT headed by Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota," the spokesman said adding that no clean chit has been given to Ram Rahim or any other person.

IMAGE: Gurmeet Baba Ram Rahim/Instagram