2002 murder: SC seeks response of Dera's Ram Rahim, others on CBI plea against acquittal

The CBI has challenged the order passed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on May 28, 2024, acquitting Singh and four others over the murder of the sect's former manager Ranjit Singh.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday decided to consider an appeal filed by the CBI against the acquittal of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and four others in the 2002 murder of former manager of the sect, Ranjit Singh.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar issued notices to the five acquitted persons, including Singh, on the petition filed by the CBI.

The central investigation agency challenged the Punjab and Haryana High Court's judgment of May 28, 2024, which acquitted Singh and others in the case, observing the probe was "tainted and sketchy."

Sirsa-based Singh is serving a 20-year jail term for allegedly raping two of his disciples.

He was also awarded life-term imprisonment for the murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati, which will commence after the completion of his current sentence.

Ranjit Singh was fatally shot at by four unidentified assailants at Khanpur Kolian Village in Haryana's Kurukshetra on July 10, 2002.

The murder was allegedly orchestrated by Singh, who suspected the deceased of being behind the circulation of an anonymous letter accusing him of sexually exploiting his women followers.

The CBI, which took over the probe in November 2023, said there was a clear motive behind the crime.

The High Court, however, acquitted Singh and others, noting the prosecution's failure to conclusively establish the motive.

Those acquitted include Avtar Singh, Krishan Lal, Jasbir Singh, and Sabdil Singh whereas another accused Inder Sain, died during the pendency of the trial in 2020.

A special CBI court in Panchkula, Haryana, convicted all the accused in October, 2021 and sentenced them to life-term imprisonment in the murder case.