Chandigarh: In a major setback to the CBI, the Punjab and Haryana high court on Saturday acquitted Gurmeet Ram Rahim, the controversial head of Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda, in the 2002 murder case of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Vikram Aggarwal passed these orders while allowing the dera chief's appeal. The bench, however, has upheld the conviction of three other accused, including Krishan Lal, Kuldeep Singh and Nirmal Singh in this case.
The order was pronounced in an open court. The detailed copy of the judgement was not available till the filing of this report. Anshul Chhatrapati, son of the slain journalist, said the family will challenge dera chief's acquittal before the Supreme Court.
On Jan 17, 2019, the special CBI court in Panchkula had sentenced the preacher and three others to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 each. Chhatrapati was the editor of a local Hindi daily.
Aggrieved by CBI court's order, the dera chief had challenged the conviction in the high court, claiming that he had been falsely implicated by the CBI in this case as the first chargesheet against the other three accused had already been filed and none of them had named the appellant to be involved in the conspiracy, therefore there was no other circumstance left with the CBI to introduce the overhearing of conspiracy. "It is a matter of fact that the appellant was not at all named in the first chargesheet filed by state police in 2002. Krishan Lal was tortured by CBI officials. The name of the dera chief was thereafter included as an accused by way of revenge. The eyewitness version of the conspiracy was created by senior CBI officer M Narayanan for the present case in the form of Khatta Singh," the counsel for dera chief had submitted.
It was also submitted that Khatta Singh's version of the conspiracy being hatched only in his presence and him not disclosing it to anyone stood falsified by the admission of Narayanan, who was the investigating officer, during his cross-examination.
The counsel stated that the preacher has been convicted only by stating that he had a motive against the deceased as he was publishing an evening newspaper that had been actively reporting against the dera. "The investigating agency, however, failed to prove by leading even an iota of evidence that the appellant ever read the said newspaper. As per the prosecution's own story, the newspaper only reported the news which had already been published by morning newspapers. There was thus no question of the appellant having any grudge against the deceased," the dera chief's counsel had submitted.
The CBI, as well as the counsel representing the deceased journalist's s family had strongly opposed the preacher's plea. After hearing all parties, the HC had in Sept last year reserved its verdict. The dera chief has been incarcerated in Rohtak's Sunaria jail since Aug 2017 after he was sentenced to 20 years in jail for raping two followers.
With Saturday's order, the dera chief has been acquitted in two murder cases Ram Chander Chhatrapati and former Dera manager Ranjeet Singh. He is now convicted and jailed in the rape cases, and has already undergone more than eight years in jail. He is also facing another CBI case regarding castration of dera followers for which the trial is still pending in Panchkula court.
Timeline
Oct 24, 2002 | Ram ChanderChhatarpatishot at, and succumbs to injuries at a Delhi hospital in Nov that year
Jan 2003 | His son moves Punjab and Haryana high court for CBI probe. HC orders CBI probe in Nov that year
Dec 9, 2003 | CBI registers FIR, but Supreme Court (SC) orders stay on CBI probe on dera's plea
Nov 2004 | SC vacates stay, asks CBI to continue investigation
Jul 2007 | CBI files charge-sheet against Dera chief and three others
Dec 2008 | CBI court frames murder charges
Dec 2008 to Dec 2018 | Trial of case continues with recording of statements and evidence in the case
Jan 17, 2019 | CBI court in Panchkula sentences dera chief, others to life imprisonment
Mar 7, 2026 | HC acquits dera chief of murder Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with
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