The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the self-styled Godman and head of the Dera Sacha Sauda, along with 4 other accused in connection with the 2002 murder of the sect’s former manager, Ranjit Singh.
This notice was issued in response to a petition filed by the CBI, challenging the acquittal of the accused by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Sanjeev Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar sought responses from Ram Rahim and the others involved in the case. The Supreme Court also tagged this case with another ongoing appeal filed by the complainant, the father of the deceased, who had similarly challenged the acquittal.
What Bench States?
The bench specifically referred to an office report dated September 9, 2024, which highlighted an earlier order passed by a bench led by Justice Bela Trivedi. This earlier bench had issued a notice in the appeal filed by Ranjit Singh’s father. The bench ordered that the Special Leave Petition (SLP) be heard by Justice Bela Trivedi’s bench, as it had already been seized of the matter.
The other accused who were sentenced to life imprisonment by the trial court on October 18, 2021, alongside Ram Rahim, include Avtar Singh, Krishan Lal, Jasbir Singh, and Sabdil Singh. One of the accused, Inder Sain, passed away during the trial in 2020.
Ranjit Singh was shot dead while working in his fields in his native village in Kurukshetra district, Haryana, on July 10, 2002. Initially, the case was registered at the Sadar Police Station in Thanesar, Kurukshetra.
On November 10, 2003, the High Court directed the CBI to investigate the matter, which had been originally handled by local police.
When the case was appealed in the High Court, the bench noted that the CBI had failed to establish a clear motive for the murder. The court observed that the prosecution’s case was “shrouded in doubts,” which led to the acquittal of all the accused.
Currently, Ram Rahim is serving a 20-year sentence at Sunaria Jail in Rohtak, Haryana, after being convicted for raping two of his female disciples. According to the CBI chargesheet, Ram Rahim suspected Ranjit Singh of circulating an anonymous letter among the followers of the Dera, accusing Ram Rahim of sexually exploiting female disciples. This letter formed the basis of the rape case filed against Ram Rahim in 2002.
The case has now garnered significant attention, with the Supreme Court’s involvement raising the possibility of a new trial or reconsideration of the earlier acquittal.
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