Panchkula: 12 January: Niel Bhalinder Singh: The Special Judge, CBI Cases, Panchkula (Haryana) has today convicted Sh. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, then Chief of Dera Sacha Sauda, Sirsa; Krishan Lal; Kuldeep Singh and Nirmal Singh, all private persons in a case related to murder of Sh. Ram Chander Chhatarpati, Editor of a Sirsa based newspaper.
Accused Kuldeep Singh, Nirmal Singh, Krishan Lal and Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh U/s 120-B of IPC r/w 302 of IPC; accused Nirmal Singh U/s 25 of Arms Act; Krishan Lal U/s 29 of Arms Act and accused Kuldeep Singh & Nirmal Singh, both U/s 302 of IPC were convicted.
CBI registered the case on the orders dated 10.11.2003 of Hon’ble High Court of Punjab and Haryana and took over the investigation of the case which was earlier registered vide FIR No. 685/02 at Police Station Sirsa. It was alleged that Sh. Ram Chander Chhatarpati, a journalist of Sirsa was running a newspaper called ‘Poora Sach’. He was shot at on 24.10.2002 in the evening by Kuldeep Singh and Nirmal Singh, carpenters in Dera Sacha Sauda, Sirsa, at his residence in Sirsa.
Case related to murder of Ram Chander Chhatarpati
He expired on 21.11.2002. The State Police arrested Kuldeep Singh & Nirmal Singh. A walkie-talkie belonging to said Dera and a revolver belonging to accused Krishan Lal, Prabandhak of said Dera was recovered. A chargesheet was filed against Kuldeep Singh, Nirmal Singh and Krishan Lal by State Police in the Court of CJM, Sirsa on 5.12.2002.
The son of victim filed Criminal Misc. Petition No. 7931-M of 2003 in the Hon'ble High Court of Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh alleging involvement of Sh. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the murder of his father and prayed for transfer of investigation to CBI. After thorough investigation, CBI found the role of Sh. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh & other accused Kuldeep Singh, Nirmal Singh, Krishan Lal and filed a chargesheet against them in the Court of SJMIC, CBI, Ambala (now at Panchkula).
The Trial Court found the accused guilty and convicted them.
The Court will pronounce the judgment on 17.01.2019.
