The Punjab and Haryana High Court has acquitted Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the 2002 murder case of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati, setting aside the life sentence earlier imposed by a trial court.
The case stemmed from the fatal shooting of Chhatrapati, who edited a local newspaper in Sirsa, Haryana. The attack occurred after the newspaper published a letter that contained serious allegations about activities inside the Dera Sacha Sauda organisation. The journalist was shot outside his residence in October 2002 and later died from his injuries.
In 2019, a special court of the Central Bureau of Investigation had found Ram Rahim guilty of involvement in the killing and sentenced him to life imprisonment. The conviction was challenged before the High Court through appeals filed by the accused.
While deciding the appeals, the High Court concluded that the evidence on record was insufficient to sustain the conviction of Ram Rahim and therefore granted him the benefit of doubt. As a result, the Court set aside the earlier judgment against him.
However, the High Court did not extend the same relief to three other convicts in the case. The life sentences awarded to Kuldeep, Nirmal, and Krishan Lal for their role in the crime were upheld.
The ruling marks a significant development in the long-running criminal proceedings connected to the killing of Chhatrapati, a case that had attracted widespread public attention due to the allegations involved and the high-profile nature of the accused.
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