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Key Points:
The Punjab and Haryana High Court acquitted Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the Sirsa journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati murder case. The court overturned the CBI Court’s January 2019 verdict that had sentenced him to life imprisonment.
The High Court bench rejected appeals of the other accused—Kuldeep Singh, Nirmal Singh and Krishna Lal. Their life imprisonment sentences remain upheld, even as Gurmeet Ram Rahim was acquitted in the murder case.
Anshul Chhatrapati called the acquittal a major setback in their fight for justice and said they will appeal in the Supreme Court. The family alleged Gurmeet Ram Rahim was the main conspirator behind the murder of Ram Chander Chhatrapati.
On March 7, 2026, the Punjab and Haryana High Court acquits Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the Sirsa journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati murder case. The High Court, in its decision, overturned a previous CBI Court’s decision of handing him a life sentence related to the murder case back in January 2019. The detailed judgement is yet to be uploaded in its entirety.
A division bench composed of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Vikram Aggarwal delivered the verdict orally today. The bench was hearing appeals filed by the Dera Sacha Chief’s Gurmeet Ram Rahim, represented by his lawyer Jitendra Khurana. However, appeals filed by other accused were rejected by the Court. The three others accused in the case are Kuldeep Singh, Nirmal Singh and Krishna Lal, whose life imprisonment sentences are upheld as of now.
Ram Chander Chhattrapti was editor and publisher of Haryana’s Sirsa based local newspaper Poora Sach. In 2002, he had published reports against Gurmeet Ram Rahim accusing him of sexual assault. He published an anonymous letter by a sadhvi (female ascetic) accusing Gurmeet Ram Rahim of rape, in his report. Chhatrapati was shot outside his residence in October 2002, and later succumbed to his injuries.
The reports published by Chhatrapati lead to investigations into the sexual assault cases. A Special CBI Court in 2017 convicted Gurmeet Ram Rahim on two rape counts, of raping his female colleagues back in 2002. He was also found guilty by a Special CBI Court in October 2021, along with others, for the murder of former Dera manager Ranjit Singh. However, in May 2024, the Punjab and Haryana High Court cleared him of the charges, setting aside the CBI court’s conviction.
Responding to the verdict, Anshul Chhatrapati, son of Ram Chander Chhatrapati told the media on March 7, 2026, that this acquittal was a major setback in their fight for justice. He also said that he and his team will appeal the verdict in the Supreme Court, and continue their legal battle. Speaking on the upholding of other accused life sentences, he said that they were pawns in the game, and the main conspirator and mastermind behind the murder was the Dera Sacha Chief.
He said that the shooters or the Dera manager, the other conspirators had no enmity towards his father. It was only Gurmeet Ram Rahim who was the main culprit in the case, and held a grudge against his father related to the news reports and his revelations of the rape allegations, he added. He also mentioned that his legal battle has been ongoing for as long as 25 years, and he hopes the Supreme Court will take the appropriate decision.
Advocate Jitendra Khurana, representing Gurmeet Ram Rahim said that the Court’s decision was followed by proper legal processes and he thanked the Court for this verdict. Speaking to the media after the verdict, he said: “I currently cannot comment on the complexities of the case as the complete verdict of the judgement is yet to be uploaded. As of now, I’d like to reiterate that revered saint Dr. Gurmeet Ram Rahim was innocent, and had no involvement in Ram Chander Chhatrapati’s murder case.”
Aridaman, brother of Anshul Chhatrapati spoke to NewsGram after the verdict. Responding to the verdict, he said that they were not happy with the Court’s decision, and they will follow proper legal procedures to challenge this decision in the Supreme Court. Speaking about the newspaper Poora Sach, he said: “Anshul continued the newspaper, acting as the editor. Poora Sach continued till 2015, after which it was closed.”
Aridaman also said that he and his brother Anshul Chhatrapati faced indirect threats while demanding justice for their father’s murder and speaking out against Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. He recalled that during the early years of their protest, calls from contacts of distant relatives warned them to back down. However, the family continued their legal fight, after which the High Court provided them security.
He mentioned that initially, both brothers were given one gunman each along with three police guards at their homes, though at present only Anshul continues to have one gunman for protection. Aridaman acknowledged that the family still lives with the possibility of future threats but said they remain safe for now and intend to take their fight for justice to the Supreme Court.
As the Chhatrapati family prepares to challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court, the decades-long legal battle surrounding the murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati enters another crucial phase. With the High Court’s detailed judgment awaited, the case continues to draw national attention over press freedom, justice, and accountability.
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