The case involving Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and the murder of ex-Dera manager Ranjit Singh.
In 2002, Ranjit Singh, a resident of Village Khanpur Kolian, served as a manager of Dera Sacha Sauda and was a follower of the sect. Tragically, he was shot dead on July 10, 2002, in Khanpur Kolian village in Haryana’s KurukshetraT. Over a year later, on November 10, 2003, the high court ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation into his murder case.
The CBI court conducted an extensive probe into the Ranjit Singh murder case and reached the following conclusions:
Conviction and Sentencing:
In October 2021, the CBI court held Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, Krishan Lal, Sabdil Singh, Jasbir Singh, and Avtar Singh guilty in the murder of Ranjit Singh.Jasbir Singh, Sabdil Singh, and Krishan Lal were found guilty of murder and criminal conspiracy under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).Gurmeet Ram Rahim, Avtar Singh, Jasbir Singh, Sabdil Singh, and Krishan Lal were convicted of criminal conspiracy, murder, and criminal intimidation under Sections 120B and 302 of the IPC.The court sentenced the four of them to life imprisonment.
Reason for Murder:
The CBI court determined that Gurmeet Ram Rahim blamed Ranjit Singh for circulating a letter that detailed sexual exploitation of the Dera chief’s disciples within the sect.The letter specifically mentioned that the Dera chief was sexually assaulting his women followers.Aggrieved by this, Gurmeet Ram Rahim conspired with the other accused to murder Ranjit Singh.
However, recently, the Punjab and Haryana High Court overturned the conviction order by the CBI court. On May 28, 2024, the high court acquitted Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and four others in the 2002 Ranjit Singh murder case. The court’s decision has been a significant development in this long-standing legal battle.Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is currently serving a 20-year jail term for raping two of his disciples and is lodged in Sunaria jail in Rohtak, Haryana.
