'Godman' Ram Rahim gets life sentence

CHANDIGARH: Self-styled godman and Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who is already serving a 20-year jail sentence for raping two of his disciples and a life term for a journalist's killing, was on Monday sentenced to life imprisonment for murder of a former sect manager nearly two decades back.

Special CBI court judge Sushil Garg in Haryana's Panchkula pronounced the verdict in a jam-packed court, sentencing him and four others for murdering Ranjit Singh, in 2002.

The CBI had sought the death penalty under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code for Ram Rahim, while the dera chief pleaded for mercy, appearing via video conference from Rohtak jail, where he is serving sentence in two cases of rape and for the murder of a journalist.

The others convicted for the crime were Krishan Lal, Jasbir Singh, Avtar Singh, and Sabdil. One more accused in the murder case had passed away in October last year.

The court also imposed a penalty of Rs 31 lakh on the godman, half of the amount will be given to the victim's family as compensation.

Victim's son Jagseer said the family finally got the justice, though after much delay. "My grandfather who fought the battle for justice of his son died in 2016. I was just eight years old when my father was murdered in a cold-blooded manner," he told the media.

"Today, after 19 years, my family can sleep in peace," he said. Prime prosecution witness, Khatta Singh, a former driver of the sect chief, played a crucial role in the case by unfolding a conspiracy behind killing the sect manager.

Earlier, the CBI court had deferred the pronouncement of the quantum of sentence on October 12. They were convicted on October 8.

The self-styled godman has been undergoing a 20-year sentence at the high-security Sunaria jail in Rohtak, 250 kms from state capital Chandigarh, for raping his two disciples, and was sentenced to life for the murder of a journalist in 2002. (IANS)

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