Punjab & Haryana HC acquits Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in Ranjit Singh murder case

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

High Court on Tuesday acquitted Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in murder case of his ex-manager Ranjit.

Division bench comprising Justice Sureshwar Thakur and Justice Lalit Batra of the HC has passed these orders while allowing an appeal filed by Dera chief against his conviction.

The controversial preacher was convicted by special CBI court Panchkula in rape and two murder cases related to killing of journalist Ram Chander Chhatarpati and former Dera manager Ranjit Singh.

He had challenged all the convictions in Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Although his appeals regarding rape cases and the Ram Chander Chhattarpati murder case are still awaiting decisions, he has been cleared of charges in the Ranjit Singh murder case.
Presently, he is detained in Rohtak's Sunaria jail.

On October 18, 2021 the special CBI court in Panchkula had awarded life imprisonment to Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim and four others. One of the accused had died during the trial. The CBI judge had also slapped a fine of Rs 31 lakh on the dera chief.

Former dera manager Ranjit Singh was shot dead in 2002 on the directions of Ram Rahim. Ranjit Singh was eliminated for his suspected role in the circulation of an anonymous letter, which narrated how women were being sexually exploited by the dera head.