Satlok Ashram case: Court overturns conviction of man in attempt-to-suicide case

Hisar: In a setback to the prosecution in the 2014 Satlok Ashram case, a Hisar court overturned a trial court's order that had convicted a man of attempting suicide during the police operation to arrest self-styled godman Rampal.Additional sessions judge Manglesh Kumar Chaubey allowed the revision petition of Chandi Ram and set aside his 2019 conviction, holding that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt.According to senior advocate Ajay Chaudhary, who represented Chandi Ram, the case arose from the Nov 17, 2014, police action at Satlok Ashram in Barwala. The prosecution had alleged that Chandi Ram poured a flammable substance on himself and attempted suicide while also violating prohibitory orders. He was booked under Sections 188 and 309 of the IPC.The court observed that the prosecution case suffered from material inconsistencies and evidentiary shortcomings. Despite the presence of a large police contingent and extensive media coverage during the operation, no independent witness or conclusive visual evidence was produced to substantiate the allegations, the court noted.Giving the accused the benefit of doubt, the court held that the evidence on record was insufficient to sustain the conviction.Status: Not Approved HEAD: 01_Har_KM_Satlok Ashram case-Chandi Ram acquitted in attempted suicide case Byline: KUMAR MUKESH Satlok Ashram case: Chandi Ram acquitted in attempted suicide case Revision court overturns trial court conviction, cites evidentiary gaps and benefit of doubt Kumar Mukesh TNN Hisar: In a significant legal development in the decade-old Satlok Ashram case, a revision court has acquitted Chandi Ram of charges related to an alleged attempt to commit suicide during the 2014 police operation at Satlok Ashram in Barwala. The court set aside the conviction recorded by the trial court, holding that the prosecution failed to establish the charges beyond reasonable doubt. The order was passed by the court of Additional Sessions Judge Manglesh Kumar Chaubey, which observed that the prosecution's case suffered from material inconsistencies and shortcomings, making it unsafe to sustain the conviction. According to senior advocate Ajay Chaudhary, who represented Chandi Ram, the case stemmed from the police action conducted on Nov 17, 2014, during the arrest operation against self-styled godman Rampal at Satlok Ashram. Chandi Ram was accused of pouring a flammable substance on himself and attempting suicide while also allegedly violating prohibitory orders. Based on these allegations, a case was registered against him under Sections 188 and 309 of the Indian Penal Code. During the proceedings, the defence argued that despite the presence of a large police force and extensive media coverage at the site, the prosecution failed to produce any independent witness or conclusive visual evidence supporting the allegations. The court found these omissions significant and noted that the evidence on record did not conclusively establish the accused's guilt. It is noteworthy that the trial court convicted Chandi Ram in 2019. With the revision court now overturning that verdict, he stands acquitted of all charges, bringing an end to a prolonged legal battle and providing major relief to his family and supporters. MSID:: 131445247 413 |