In a significant judicial decision, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has acquitted Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the murder case of his former manager, Ranjit Singh. The verdict was delivered on Tuesday, clearing the sect leader of all charges in this long-standing legal battle.
Gurmeet Ram Rahim, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence in Sunaria jail, Rohtak, for the rape of two female disciples, had been previously convicted by a special CBI court in 2021. He, along with four others, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Ranjit Singh, which occurred over 19 years ago.
Ranjit Singh, a former manager at the Dera and once a follower of the sect, was fatally shot on July 10, 2002, in Khanpur Kolian village, Kurukshetra, Haryana. The murder was allegedly linked to his suspected involvement in circulating an anonymous letter that exposed the sexual exploitation of women by Ram Rahim at the Dera headquarters.
Following his conviction by the CBI court in Panchkula, the Dera chief appealed to the High Court, leading to this recent acquittal. Jitender Khurana, the lawyer representing the Dera chief, confirmed the acquittal news, marking a pivotal moment in this high-profile case.
