HC stops CBI judge from pronouncing verdict in Ram Rahim case
Darpan News Desk IANS, 24 Aug, 2021 12:20 PM
Chandigarh, Aug 24 (IANS) The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday restrained the special CBI judge in Haryana's Panchkula from pronouncing the verdict in the Ranjit Singh murder case in which controversial and jailed Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim is an accused.
The order came on a petition of victim's son Jagsir Singh.
The trial court had fixed August 26 for the pronouncement of the judgment.
The matter in high court will now be heard on August 27 by Justice Arvind Singh Sangwan.
Ranjit Singh, a former follower of Ram Rahim, was shot dead by four assailants on July 10, 2002, in Kurukshetra after he allegedly "raised his voice" against the self-styled godman, who is currently lodged at the high-security Sunaria jail in Rohtak, 250 kms from state capital Chandigarh.
The self-styled godman was sentenced to 20 years in jail in August 2017 for raping two women.
A special CBI court in Panchkula in January 2019 also sentenced him and three others to life imprisonment for the murder of a journalist over 16 years ago.
Two Border Roads Organisation (BRO) officers lost their lives during rescue and relief operations in Himachal Pradesh, which is witnessing flash floods and landslides due to heavy rainfall.
In recorded telephonic calls to journalists, the caller identified himself as Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and said, We will not allow Jai Ram Thakur to hoist the Indian tricolour. Himachal Pradesh was part of Punjab and we are seeking a referendum in Punjab.
The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a plea by veteran journalists N. Ram and Sashi Kumar seeking a direction for an independent probe by its sitting or retired judge into the alleged Pegasus snooping scandal.
The latest round of talks will take place after a gap of three months. Indian military delegates will meet their counterparts to discuss disengagement of troops at the friction areas such as the Hot Springs, Gogra and the Depsang plains spread over 900 sq km land.
At the end of her visit to the national capital, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Friday that everyone must work together to save democracy in the country, besides stating that she would be visiting Delhi every two months.