March 07, 2026 : The Punjab and Haryana High Court has acquitted Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the 2002 murder case of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati, overturning the life sentence earlier imposed by a trial court.
Chhatrapati, the editor of a local newspaper in Sirsa, Haryana, was shot outside his residence in October 2002. The attack came shortly after his newspaper published a letter that carried serious allegations regarding activities inside the Dera Sacha Sauda organisation. He later succumbed to the gunshot injuries.
In 2019, a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court had convicted Ram Rahim for his alleged involvement in the killing and sentenced him to life imprisonment. The conviction was subsequently challenged before the High Court through appeals filed by the accused.
While hearing the appeals, the High Court held that the prosecution evidence was not sufficient to sustain Ram Rahim’s conviction. Granting him the benefit of doubt, the Court set aside the earlier judgment against him.
However, the Court declined to extend the same relief to the other accused. The life sentences awarded to Kuldeep, Nirmal, and Krishan Lal for their involvement in the murder were upheld.
The verdict marks a major development in the long-running case surrounding the killing of Chhatrapati, which drew widespread public attention due to the allegations involved and the high-profile status of the accused.
