The acquittal has sparked inquiries into handling the investigation and the subsequent legal proceedings.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has acquitted Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, Dera Sacha Sauda chief in the 2002 murder case of Ranjit Singh, former Dera Manager. The Court accepted the bail appeals filed by the accused Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and four others including Jasbir Singh, Sabdil Singh, Krishan Lal, and Avatar Singh who had been sentenced in 2021.
Ranjit Singh murder case
Ranjit Singh, a member of Dera’s committee, was shot dead in 2002. His murder was linked to his suspected role in circulating an anonymous letter that reported how Ram Rahim was involved in the sexual exploitation of women at the Dera headquarters in Haryana. The CBI court, upon investigation, found Ram Rahim and others guilty of hatching a conspiracy to murder Ranjit Singh. Consequently, all the accused were sentenced to life imprisonment in 2021. However, the court has now acquitted all the accused.
The defence team’s main arguments in the acquittal appeal were not explicitly mentioned in the provided sources. It can be inferred that the defence team likely emphasised the absence of conclusive evidence connecting Ram Rahim to the conspiracy in the murder of Ranjit Singh.
The appeal filed by Ram Rahim and four others was accepted by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which acquitted them due to the absence of conclusive evidence.
Other charges
Regardless of the acquittal in this case, Ram Rahim will remain in jail due to his 20-year sentence for raping two disciples and his conviction in the murder case of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati, who had extensively reported on the sexual assault allegations against the influential Dera chief.
In 2017, the Dera Sacha Sauda gained significant attention when Ram Rahim’s conviction in a rape case resulted in widespread violence and arson in multiple areas. Tragically, this led to the loss of 30 lives and left over 250 people injured. The Army was deployed to restore order.
Ram Rahim has been charged with hurting the religious sentiments of the Sikh community, leading to a case being registered against him. In addition, Ram Rahim faced allegations of orchestrating the involuntary castration of multiple individuals believed to be connected to the distribution of the anonymous letter that brought to light the sexual exploitation.
Reaction to Ram Rahim’s acquittal
The lawyers representing Ram Rahim have expressed their satisfaction with the high court’s ruling, emphasising their client’s unwavering trust in the judicial system. Nevertheless, the acquittal has sparked inquiries into the handling of the investigation and the subsequent legal proceedings. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex Sikh body, expressed their disappointment with the acquittal and offered their support to Ranjit Singh’s family in their ongoing legal battle against Ram Rahim.
Activists and human rights groups expressed their strong disapproval of the acquittal, arguing that it dealt a blow to the pursuit of justice and could potentially embolden Ram Rahim to persist in his alleged criminal activities.
