High Court Acquits Dera Chief in High-Profile Murder Case

The Punjab and Haryana High Court acquitted Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the 2002 murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati, overturning a previous CBI court ruling. The court upheld the convictions of three others involved. The journalist's family plans to challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court.

In a dramatic turn of events, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has acquitted Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the head of Dera Sacha Sauda, in the long-standing 2002 murder case of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati. The CBI court conviction that had sentenced him to life has been overturned.

The high court ruling has prompted the journalist's family to declare their intention to challenge the decision in the Supreme Court, asserting that their legal battle will persist. The case, initially lodged in 2006, saw Ram Rahim and others convicted for the murder of Chhatrapati, who was killed in retaliation for reporting on alleged abuses at the sect's headquarters.

While the sect leader has been acquitted, the high court upheld the convictions of three other individuals involved in the conspiracy. This ruling adds another layer to the controversial legal saga of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who remains in prison on separate charges of sexual assault.

(With inputs from agencies.)