SC seeks response from Dera Sacha Sauda chief on CBI's plea against acquittal in 2002 murder case

The Supreme Court has issued notices to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and four others following a CBI appeal against their acquittal in the 2002 murder of Ranjit Singh, a former manager of the sect.

On May 28, 2024, the Punjab and Haryana High Court acquitted Singh and others in the case, citing a "tainted and sketchy" investigation by the prosecution. The court also emphasised that media trials must not influence objective evaluation of evidence.

Singh, currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for raping two disciples, is lodged in Haryana's Sunaria Jail. He has also been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati, which will commence after completing his current sentence.

The CBI took over the investigation in November 2023, alleging that Singh orchestrated the murder, suspecting Ranjit Singh of circulating an anonymous letter accusing him of sexually exploiting women followers. On Friday, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar issued notices to the acquitted individuals, aligning the case for review under Justice Bela Trivedi's bench.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the CBI, argued that the acquittal disregarded evidence of a clear motive. The agency maintains that Singh conspired with his co-accused to execute the murder, carried out by four unidentified assailants in Haryana's Khanpur Kolian village on July 10, 2002.

The special CBI court in Panchkula had convicted all the accused in October 2021, sentencing them to life imprisonment. However, the High Court overturned the decision, stating the prosecution failed to conclusively establish the motive, leaving the case "shrouded in doubts."

Apart from Ram Rahim Singh, the acquitted include Avtar Singh, Krishan Lal, Jasbir Singh, and Sabdil Singh. Another accused, Inder Sain, passed away in 2020 during the trial.