CourtVerdict – High Court Acquits Gurmeet Ram Rahim in Journalist Murder Case
CourtVerdict – The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Saturday set aside the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the 2002 killing of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati. The court overturned the life imprisonment sentence that had been awarded to him earlier by a special CBI court in Panchkula in 2019.
The decision was delivered by a division bench headed by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Vikram Aggarwal after hearing appeals challenging the earlier verdict. While the court cleared Ram Rahim Singh of the charges related to the murder, it upheld the convictions of three other individuals involved in the case.
Background of the 2002 shooting incident
The case dates back to October 2002 when journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati was shot outside his residence in Sirsa, Haryana. Chhatrapati was the editor of a local newspaper titled Poora Sach and had published an anonymous letter that accused the Dera Sacha Sauda leadership of sexually exploiting female followers at its headquarters.
Following the publication of the letter, tensions escalated. Shortly afterward, unidentified attackers opened fire on Chhatrapati outside his home. The journalist sustained critical injuries in the attack and was admitted to hospital. Despite medical treatment, he succumbed to his injuries several weeks later.
Investigation transferred to CBI
Initially, the case was registered and investigated by local police authorities. However, amid growing public attention and demands for a more thorough probe, the investigation was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation in 2006.
During its investigation, the CBI alleged that Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh had played a role in the conspiracy behind the killing. The agency later filed charges against him along with several others connected to the attack.
After years of investigation and court proceedings, a special CBI court in Panchkula delivered its judgment in January 2019, convicting Ram Rahim Singh and sentencing him to life imprisonment for his alleged involvement in the murder.
High Court overturns earlier conviction
The High Court’s latest ruling came after reviewing appeals filed against the 2019 conviction. After examining the case records, evidence, and arguments presented by both sides, the bench decided to overturn Ram Rahim Singh’s conviction.
However, the court maintained the earlier convictions of three other accused individuals linked to the murder, indicating that the evidence against them remained valid.
Legal representatives for Ram Rahim Singh confirmed the decision soon after the judgment was announced. His lawyer, Jitender Khurana, stated that the court had acquitted the Dera chief in the case.
Family plans to challenge the decision
The ruling has been met with disappointment by the family of the slain journalist. Anshul Chhatrapati, son of Ram Chander Chhatrapati, described the verdict as a major setback for their pursuit of justice.
He said the family intends to challenge the High Court’s decision before the Supreme Court. According to him, they also expect the Central Bureau of Investigation to file its own appeal against the acquittal.
The family has been actively pursuing the case for more than two decades since the journalist’s death.
Ram Rahim remains in prison in separate case
Despite the acquittal in the Chhatrapati murder case, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh will continue to remain in custody. He is currently lodged in Sunaria jail in Rohtak, Haryana.
The Dera chief is serving a 20-year prison sentence following his conviction in 2017 for raping two women disciples. That verdict was delivered by a special CBI court after a separate investigation into allegations of sexual assault.
Earlier acquittal in another murder case
This is not the first time the High Court has cleared Ram Rahim Singh in a murder case connected to the Dera Sacha Sauda organisation.
In May 2024, the same court acquitted him and four others in the killing of former Dera manager Ranjit Singh, a case that also dated back to 2002. In that judgment, the court had pointed to several shortcomings and inconsistencies in the investigation process.
With the latest verdict, the legal developments surrounding cases linked to the Dera Sacha Sauda leadership continue to draw attention, particularly as further appeals in higher courts remain possible.