Now Reading: Supreme Court admits plea against Ram Rahim acquittal in journalist murder
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Supreme Court admits plea against Ram Rahim acquittal in journalist murder
Supreme Court admits plea against Ram Rahim acquittal in journalist murder
The Supreme Court on Monday admitted a petition challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court's acquittal of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in the 2002 murder of journalist Ram Chander…
The Story in Brief
The Supreme Court on Monday admitted a petition challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court's acquittal of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in the 2002 murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant said the matter required consideration, noting it was a reversal of conviction by the trial court, not an acquittal affirmed by the High Court.
The court rejected objections by Ram Rahim's counsel that the state had not appealed. It requested trial court records, including witness statements, and posted final hearing for November. Ram Rahim, convicted in 2019 for conspiracy in the murder, is serving a 20-year sentence for rape of two disciples. The journalist was shot dead in Sirsa after his newspaper published an anonymous letter alleging sexual exploitation at the Dera.
The Indian Opinion
Claims that the SC is wasting time on an acquittal the state did not challenge miss the point. The bench itself flagged this is a 'reversal of conviction', not a routine acquittal. The victim's son has the right to be heard. The real test is whether the SC finds the High Court's dismissal of the key witness's testimony 'appropriate'. If it does, the Dera chief's legal shield hardens. If not, the question becomes: did the political clout of a cult leader outweigh judicial scrutiny in Punjab and Haryana?
Sources (2): timesofindia.indiatimes.com, timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
