Ram Rahim’s acquittal in journalist murder case needs consideration: SC

The Supreme Court of India has agreed to consider a petition that questions the acquittal of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in the 2002 murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati. The case involves a 20-year prison sentence for sexual assault of two female disciples. The bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana overruled Rahim's counsel's objections that it was an acquittal, noting that this is a reversal of the conviction recorded by the trial court.

The bench acknowledged that the state (CBI) would not appeal against the acquittal. The trial court had convicted Ram Rahim and sentenced him to life imprisonment in January 2019. The bench requested the trial court records, including witness statements, for examination. The petition was filed by Arindam Chhatrapati, the complainant and son of the murdered journalist.

The bench requested the trial court to scrutinize the records and determine if the appreciation of the key witness's evidence is appropriate. The counsel argued that the High Court incorrectly reached the conclusion that Gurmeet Ram Rahim's participation in the conspiracy is not proved. The bench found lapses in the local police probe and transferred the investigations to the CBI almost a year after the murder. The key witness in the case is the ex-driver of Gurmeet Ram Rahim.