Supreme Court to Examine Ram Rahim's Acquittal in Journalist Murder Case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said the acquittal of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the murder case of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati needs consideration. The Court issued a notice to the Haryana government and sought its response on a plea challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court's decision to acquit Ram Rahim.

A bench of the Supreme Court was hearing the appeal filed by the CBI against the High Court's order. During the proceedings, Ram Rahim's counsel argued that the High Court had recorded a categorical finding that the key witness could not be believed. The counsel submitted that this finding alone was sufficient to uphold the acquittal.

The Supreme Court, however, observed that the acquittal needed consideration and asked the Haryana government to respond within four weeks. The case will now be heard after the state government files its reply.

Ram Chander Chhatrapati, a journalist and an eyewitness in the murder case of a Ranchi-based journalist, was shot dead on October 24, 2002, in Sirsa, Haryana. The CBI had named Ram Rahim as the main accused in the case. In 2021, a trial court in Panchkula convicted Ram Rahim and two others for the murder. However, the Punjab and Haryana High Court overturned the conviction in 2022, citing lack of evidence and questionable credibility of the witnesses.

The High Court had observed that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. It had also noted that the key witness, who was the sole eyewitness, had made improvements in his statement and thus could not be relied upon.

The CBI, in its appeal before the Supreme Court, has argued that the High Court erred in discarding the testimony of the eyewitness without sufficient reason. The agency contended that the acquittal was based on minor contradictions and that the evidence on record was sufficient to establish guilt.

Ram Rahim is currently serving a 20-year sentence in a separate rape case. He is also facing trial in several other cases, including the murder of a former Dera manager. The Supreme Court's decision to examine the acquittal has brought the journalist murder case back into focus.

This development is being closely watched as it raises questions about the judicial process in high-profile cases. The Supreme Court's intervention comes after a series of legal battles spanning over two decades.

The matter is scheduled for further hearing after the Haryana government's response. Until then, the acquittal stands, but the legal scrutiny continues.