New Delhi: The rape conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, regarded as a spiritual leader, has shocked millions of his followers spread across several states with a large concentration in the states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
Gurmeet Ram Rahim, was on Friday held guilty by the Special CBI Court of Panchkula, and has been sentenced to 10 years in jail. Popularly known as Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, he claims to command a veritable following of more than 60 million of his faithfuls, especially the Dalit Sikhs, according to the website of his organisation Dera Sacha Sauda.
Here is all about the case against Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh:
The CBI had lodged the FIR against the dera chief in 2002. The Punjab and Haryana High Court had referred the matter to the agency after an anonymous letter purportedly written by a sadhvi began circulating. In the letter addressed to the PM, Haryana CM and Chief Justice of high court, the sadhvi accused the dera chief of raping her and other sadhvis and pleaded for an inquiry. Before referring the matter for a CBI probe, the high court had taken a report on the matter from the District and Sessions Judge of Sirsa.
The CBI subsequently succeeded in locating two sadhvis who deposed before a trial court that the dera chief sexually exploited them. In 2008, a CBI court ordered framing of rape charges against the dera chief.
The above allegations of rape are not the only controversy Singh has courted till now. He has been in the controversy for several other reasons also including the allegations of murdering people and castrating his followers as well.
