Ram Rahim, 3 other convicts to be sentenced via video-conferencing

PANCHKULA :Sirsa dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and three other convicts will appear in the special CBI court in Panchkula through video-conferencing on Thursday – when the quantum of sentence in the journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati murder case will be pronounced.

The CBI court on Wednesday allowed the Haryana government’s application that cited lawand-order problem if Ram Rahim was brought to the court in person for hearing.

On January 11, special CBI judge Jagdeep Singh had convicted Ram Rahim for conspiring to kill the Sirsa-based journalist in 2002. The court also held Krishan Lal, a former sect manager, Kuldeep Singh and Nirmal Singh, both carpenters and sect followers, guilty. The three, who were present in the court, were sent to the central jail in Ambala, while Ram Rahim then too appeared before the court through videoconferencing from Sunaria jail near Rohtak amid security concerns raised by government.

The CBI court considered that keeping in view the law laid down by the Supreme Court with regard to constructive presence of an accused in light of technological advancements, it may not be violative of any substantive provision of law, if order on quantum of sentence is pronounced by securing presence of convicts through video-conferencing and in the presence of their counsel.

“Keeping in view the relevant statutory provisions and other attending circumstance of the present case, present application stands allowed in the larger interests and accordingly it is directed that convicts — Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, Nirmal Singh, Kuldeep Singh and Krishan Lal — be produced on January 17 through video-conferencing in order to conduct court proceedings,” the order reads.