New Delhi, Jan 3: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice on a plea filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) challenging the acquittal of controversial self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh of the Dera Sacha Sauda in the Ranjit Singh murder case.

A bench of CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Sanjay Kumar directed to tag the CBI’s special leave petition with another pending petition filed by a family member of the deceased against the acquittal of Ram Rahim and four other accused.

In September 2024, a bench of Justices Bela M. Trivedi and S.C. Sharma agreed to examine a plea filed by the complainant Jasgeer Singh and sought responses from the CBI, Ram Rahim and the other accused persons.

In May last year, the Punjab and Haryana High Court allowed the appeals moved by Ram Rahim and others who were convicted by a CBI court in Panchkula in 2021.

A bench of Justices Sureshwar Thakur and Lalit Batra of the high court acquitted Avtar Singh, Jasbir Singh, Sabdil Singh, and Krishan Lal, all of whom were awarded life sentences along with the self-styled godman.

Despite the acquittal, Ram Rahim remained in prison as he stood convicted in other cases of rape and murder. Former Dera manager Ranjit Singh was shot by four assailants on July 10, 2002, at Khanpur Kolian village in Haryana’s Kurukshetra.

In 2021, a special CBI court found Ram Rahim and others guilty of the murder and sentenced them to life imprisonment. It was suspected that Ranjit Singh was murdered because of his alleged role in circulating a letter that narrated how the sect head was sexually exploiting women at the Dera headquarters in Sirsa.

Sirsa-based journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati later used the same letter in a news report. He was killed soon after the report was published. Ram Rahim was also convicted on the charges of murdering the journalist.

New Delhi, Jan 3: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a blistering attack against the Aam Aadmi Party government in the national capital on Friday, saying, “For the past 10 years, Delhi has been engulfed in a major ‘AAPada’. Some ‘Kattar Beimaan’ people (hardcore corrupt individuals), using Anna Hazare’s image, have pushed Delhi towards this crisis.”

In a scathing criticism of the AAP government, PM Modi said, “Scams in liquor contracts…scams in schools for children…scams in healthcare for the poor…scams in the name of fighting pollution…scams in recruitments…These people talked about the development of Delhi, but instead, they became the ‘AAPada’ and struck Delhi.” These people openly engage in corruption and then glorify it. It’s a case of stealing and then showing off. This ‘AAPada’ has descended upon Delhi, and that’s why the people of Delhi have declared war against it. Delhi’s voters have decided they will not tolerate this ‘AAPada’ and will bring about change, he remarked.

PM Modi called the AAP government a “destructive force” while highlighting the development the BJP has brought to the city. He pointed out that roads, expressways, and new infrastructure projects are progressing in Delhi because they aren’t affected by the ‘AAPada.’ He also expressed his desire to implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme in Delhi to provide free healthcare but noted that the ‘AAPada’ government was blocking it, depriving the citizens of its benefits.

In his address, PM Modi also inaugurated various schemes worth Rs 4,500 crore and presented keys to newly constructed flats in Ashok Vihar. He also virtually launched urban redevelopment projects, including the World Trade Center in Narojiji Nagar and new quarters in Sarojini Nagar. Moreover, he laid the foundation stone for Veer Savarkar College in Roshanpura, Najafgarh.

While addressing a rally in Delhi, PM Modi slammed former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal without naming him. Referring to social activist Anna Hazare, he stated that some “hardcore corrupt” individuals had used Hazare’s image to push Delhi towards a crisis.

He further sarcastically remarked, “Not only do they steal, but they also flaunt it. This ‘disaster’ ‘AAPada’ has fallen upon Delhi, and that’s why the people of Delhi have waged a war against it. The voters of Delhi have resolved to free the city from this ‘disaster.’ Every citizen of Delhi is saying, ‘We will not tolerate this AAPada, we will change it.”

He added, “I want to offer Delhi residents the benefits of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which provides free healthcare. However, the ‘AAPada’ government has a major grudge against the people of Delhi. While this scheme is implemented across the country, the ‘disaster’ government is blocking it in Delhi, causing the citizens to suffer.”

Kochi, Jan 3: A CBI court here on Friday sentenced 10 CPI-M workers to a double life term and four others including a former party legislator to five years’ imprisonment in the Periya twin murder case.

On Saturday last, the CBI court had convicted 14 people and exonerated 10 in the case pertaining to the brutal murders of Kerala Youth Congress workers Kripesh (19) and P.K. Sarath Lal (24) on February 17, 2019, in Periya, Kasaragod district.

However, the families of the victims said they were expecting capital punishment for the accused and since that has not been given and 10 others were exonerated, they will speak with the Congress leadership and appeal against the verdict.

The victims were allegedly killed by CPI-M workers in a politically-motivated attack.

According to the court, eight of the accused were directly involved in the twin murders, while six others played indirect roles.

The court gave a double life term to the eight who were directly involved in the cold blooded murder, while two others, who were part of the conspiracy, were also given a double life term.

Among the convicted is former MLA and CPI-M district leader K.V. Kunhiraman, accused of forcibly removing the second accused from police custody. Kunhiraman has been given five years’ imprisonment.

Initially investigated by the Crime Branch, the case was handed over to the CBI after a plea was filed by the victims’ families in the High Court.

The CBI concluded that the murders stemmed from a cycle of politically-motivated attacks between CPI-M and Congress workers in the region.

At Periya in Kasargod there was a huge gathering of Congress party workers and family members of the two victims at their memorial site. After hearing the verdict, some of the women of the two workers’ families were seen in tears.

Leader of Opposition, V.D. Satheesan while talking about the verdict said it was notable that among the accused are a former CPI-M legislator and workers.

“All along, the CPI-M leadership and party denied their leader’s and party workers’ role in the brutal crime. Now see, they have been sentenced. This is the way the CPI-M works,” said Satheesan.

K.K. Rema, an independent legislator who won with the Congress-led UDF’s support, whose husband, T.P. Chandrasekharan, was also murdered by CPI-M workers, criticised the party’s attempts to protect the accused.

“Just look at the way the CPI-M employed high priced lawyers from Delhi to fight the case and more than Rs 1 crore have been spent to save the guilty,” said Rema.

AICC general secretary and Alappuzha Congress Lok Sabha member, K.C. Venugopal, said the verdict brings out the real face of the CPI-M as they engage in annihilating political opponents.

The counsel for the accused said once the papers of the verdict come, they will file an appeal against it.

The 10 accused, who have been sentenced to the double life term, will each have to pay a fine of Rs 2 lakh, while the remaining four have to pay a fine of Rs 10,000, and all of this will go to the families of the two victims.