Gurmeet Ram Rahim gets 20 years of jail term for two rape cases
Synopsis
CBI judge Jagdeep Singh pronounced two sentences of 10 years rigorous imprisonment, which will run consecutively, in each of the two cases, defence lawyer SK Garg Narwana said.
By Viney Sharma, ET Bureau
ROHTAK: A special CBI court has sentenced Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh to 20 years rigorous imprisonment after his conviction in two rape cases.
Singh also fined him Rs 15 lakh in each of the two cases, of which Rs 14 lakh each would go to the two victims who were part of his sect and were coerced into having sex with him. The defence counsel sought leniency from the court arguing that Ram Rahim was active in social work and had health issues. He said he will appeal against the orders in high court.
The sentence was passed in a special courtroom set up inside the Sunaria jail where Ram Rahim, the 50-year-old self-proclaimed godman, is lodged since last Friday after he was convicted.
Media reports said he broke down and begged for forgiveness with folded hands when the first sentence was passed. The judge was brought to Rohtak by a helicopter from Chandigarh and landed at a helipad near the jail located on the outskirts of Rohtak.
Leaders of various political parties welcomed the 20-year prison term given to the Dera chief even as some Opposition leaders lashed out at the Haryana government for the violence that preceded the pronouncement of the sentence.
“We have seen this callous insensitivity, coupled with the mulish obstinacy in the face of the most unprecedented structures in the high court of the state. In any responsible sensitive form of governance, comments, not strictures of far less severity than we have heard in Haryana would have led to apologies, resignations and complete unconditional acceptance. Here it has had the opposite effect, that's the interesting part of it,” said Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
BJP general secretary in-charge of Haryana Anil Jain defended his party on the issue of having sought Ram Rahim Singh during the elections.
“A political party seeks support of every voter and everybody who has a support base. One cannot decide who to have relations with based only on the charges against the person. However, nobody should take support of Babas (religious heads) who have been convicted," Jain said, adding that Congress and INLD had also sought his backing earlier.
CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury said that the law of the land must be implemented, but expressed concerns over the violence after the court on August 25 held Ram Rahim guilty of rape. “It is strange that despite the high court's directions, no stringent measures were taken to ensure there was no violence,” he said.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said the court has found Ram Rahim guilty and sentenced him.“There is nothing for us to say other than asking people to maintain peace. There is curfew in one or two places in Punjab and we have left it to the district administration to decide in a day or two when the time is right to lift the curfew,” he said.
(With inputs from PTI)
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CBI judge Jagdeep Singh pronounced two sentences of 10 years rigorous imprisonment, which will run consecutively, in each of the two cases, defence lawyer SK Garg Narwana said on Monday.Singh also fined him Rs 15 lakh in each of the two cases, of which Rs 14 lakh each would go to the two victims who were part of his sect and were coerced into having sex with him. The defence counsel sought leniency from the court arguing that Ram Rahim was active in social work and had health issues. He said he will appeal against the orders in high court.
The sentence was passed in a special courtroom set up inside the Sunaria jail where Ram Rahim, the 50-year-old self-proclaimed godman, is lodged since last Friday after he was convicted.
Media reports said he broke down and begged for forgiveness with folded hands when the first sentence was passed. The judge was brought to Rohtak by a helicopter from Chandigarh and landed at a helipad near the jail located on the outskirts of Rohtak.
Leaders of various political parties welcomed the 20-year prison term given to the Dera chief even as some Opposition leaders lashed out at the Haryana government for the violence that preceded the pronouncement of the sentence.
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“We have seen this callous insensitivity, coupled with the mulish obstinacy in the face of the most unprecedented structures in the high court of the state. In any responsible sensitive form of governance, comments, not strictures of far less severity than we have heard in Haryana would have led to apologies, resignations and complete unconditional acceptance. Here it has had the opposite effect, that's the interesting part of it,” said Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
BJP general secretary in-charge of Haryana Anil Jain defended his party on the issue of having sought Ram Rahim Singh during the elections.
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“A political party seeks support of every voter and everybody who has a support base. One cannot decide who to have relations with based only on the charges against the person. However, nobody should take support of Babas (religious heads) who have been convicted," Jain said, adding that Congress and INLD had also sought his backing earlier.
CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury said that the law of the land must be implemented, but expressed concerns over the violence after the court on August 25 held Ram Rahim guilty of rape. “It is strange that despite the high court's directions, no stringent measures were taken to ensure there was no violence,” he said.
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Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said the court has found Ram Rahim guilty and sentenced him.“There is nothing for us to say other than asking people to maintain peace. There is curfew in one or two places in Punjab and we have left it to the district administration to decide in a day or two when the time is right to lift the curfew,” he said.
(With inputs from PTI)
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)