Gurpreet Singh :- Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj has expressed strong concern over the acquittal of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the murder case of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati, describing the development as unfortunate and raising questions about justice.
Reacting to the decision, the Jathedar said the issue deserves serious discussion. He pointed out that the demand for the release of Sikh prisoners, often referred to as Bandi Singhs, has been pending for decades. According to him, many of them have spent more than 35 years in jail without any significant action on their cases, while in other matters relief is granted quickly even when serious allegations had earlier been established. He questioned where those fighting long legal battles for justice should turn under such circumstances.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court recently acquitted Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the 2002 murder case of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati. The verdict was delivered by a Division Bench led by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Vikram Aggarwal, which set aside the life imprisonment sentence awarded to the Dera chief by a special CBI court in Panchkula in January 2019.
While granting relief to Ram Rahim, the High Court upheld the convictions of three other accused in the case. The bench delivered its ruling after hearing appeals filed against the 2019 judgment.
Journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati was shot outside his residence in Sirsa, Haryana, in October 2002. He was the editor of the local newspaper Poora Sach and had published an anonymous letter alleging sexual exploitation of female followers at the Dera’s headquarters in Sirsa. The case has remained under intense public scrutiny for years, and the High Court’s decision has once again sparked debate over the issue of justice and accountability.
