Supreme Court Issues Notice To Godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim, 4 Others In 2002 Murder Case

The Supreme Court today issued a notice to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and four others in connection with the 2002 murder of Ranjit Singh, a former Dera manager.

The notice follows a plea by the CBI challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court's decision to acquit Ram Rahim and his co-accused in the case, reported NDTV.

Photo Credit: PTI file photo

A bench consisting of Chief Justice of India Sanjeev Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar observed 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. The murder was linked to his suspected role in circulating an anonymous letter exposing allegations of sexual exploitation of women by Gurmeet Ram Rahim at the Dera's headquarters in Sirsa. The letter, which detailed how female followers were being abused, sparked 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 involvement in the murder. The court sentenced all five to life imprisonment and imposed significant 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 concluded that Ram Rahim orchestrated the murder due to his suspicion that Ranjit Singh was involved in circulating the letter that exposed the 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 2017 conviction 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 led to a 20-year prison sentence for the self-styled godman.