HC Restrains CBI Judge From Pronouncing Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Ram Rahim Verdict

A special CBI court in Panchkula in January 2019 also sentenced him and three others to life imprisonment for the murder of a journalist over 16 years ago.

Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday has restrained the special CBI judge in Panchkula from pronouncing its judgment in the trial of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in the murder case of Ranjit Singh, a former follower of Gurmeet Ram Rahim. The order came on a petition of the victim’s son Jagsir Singh. The trial was scheduled to be pronounced on August 26.

The matter in high court will now be heard on August 27 by Justice Arvind Singh Sangwan. Ranjit Singh, a former follower of Ram Rahim, was shot dead by four assailants on July 10, 2002, in Kurukshetra after he allegedly “raised his voice” against the self-styled godman, who is currently lodged at the high-security Sunaria jail in Rohtak, 250 kms from state capital Chandigarh.

The self-styled godman was sentenced to 20 years in jail in August 2017 for raping two women. A special CBI court in Panchkula in January 2019 also sentenced him and three others to life imprisonment for the murder of a journalist over 16 years ago.

(With inputs from IANS)