Verdict in journalist murder case on Jan 11
PANCHKULA: Law enforcement agencies will be on their toes as the Panchkula CBI court will pronounce the verdict in the 2002 journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati murder case — in which Sirsa dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim is the prime accused along with three others — on January 11. The arguments in the case concluded here on Wednesday.
Ram Rahim, who is already convicted in a rape case, is currently lodged in Rohtak’s Sunaria Jail. CBI judge Jagdeep Singh, who handed out a 20-year imprisonment to the dera head in a rape case in 2017, will pronounce the verdict in the Chhatrapati case too. The judge has directed the jail superintendent to ensure dera chief’s presence in the court on the day of the order.
The August 25th conviction of Ram Rahim had triggered violent clashes between his supporters and security forces that left at least 36 persons dead in Panchkula.
“Adequate security arrangements will be made to maintain law and order,” said a Haryana police spokesperson. Top sources in the Haryana police said that they may seek judicial intervention for court hearing inside Sunaria Jail if bringing Ram Rahim to Panchkula court is found risky.
SON SAYS FULL FAITH IN JUDICIARY
Chhatrapati was shot at a pointblank range at his residence in Sirsa on October 24, 2002, months after his newspaper ‘Poora Sach’ published an anonymous letter narrating how women finding solace in the dera as sadhvis were sexually harassed and raped by the dera chief. Chhatrapati has succumbed to his injuries a few days later. His son Anshul, who has been fighting the legal battle since then, said he had full faith in judiciary. “My family was under tremendous pressure. But we are thankful to many like-minded people who have supported us in this fight,” he added.
PANCKULA CBI JUDGE SEEKS RAM RAHIM’S PRESENCE IN COURT