Eighteen years after he raped two of his female disciples, Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was on Monday sentenced to 20 years jail for rape and criminal intimidation and fined Rs 30 lakh.
The rapist sect chief has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in each of the two cases of rape. Both the sentences will run consecutively, the sect chief's counsel S.K. Garg Narwana said after the special CBI judge pronounced the sentence in the District Jail in Sunaria, which was brought under extraordinary security following Friday's violence.
The rape victims will get Rs 14 lakh each as compensation from the fine, CBI special court Judge Jagdeep Singh, who was flown in a helicopter from Chandigarh, said in the judgment.
Earlier, there was confusion over the term of the sentence, with reports that Ram Rahim was sentenced to 10 years in jail. Later, his counsel clarified the position.
Judge Jagdeep Singh had on Friday held the Dera chief guilty of rape and criminal intimidation of the two female disciples in 1999. The complaint in the cases was filed in 2002.
Hang rape convict #DeraSachaSauda Chief #RamRahimSingh, demand Sadhus in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi. pic.twitter.com/o5F4LFbW6o
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 28, 2017
The self-styled godman was in tears and pleaded for mercy as the judge sentenced him to 10 years jail in each of the two counts of rape and criminal intimidation.
The conviction of the Dera chief in the CBI court in Panchkula on Friday had sparked off large-scale violence by his followers which left 38 people dead and 264 others injured.
The hearing to decide the quantum of sentence started at 2.30 p.m. on Monday and the judge gave 10 minutes each to the defence and prosecution sides to make their submission, court sources said.
While Ram Rahim's counsel argued for leniency and minimum punishment saying that he was a social worker and had health issues, the CBI counsel sought maximum punishment given his conduct. The prosecution wanted the case to be treated as "rarest of the rare".
The sect chief's counsel said that the verdict will be challenged in a high court.
There was drama inside the special court as Ram Rahim broke down and pleaded with folded hands before the judge.
After the sentence was announced, he sat down on the floor and wept. He had to be forcibly taken away by jail wardens to his barrack even as his lawyers tried to seek leniency in prison rules for the sect chief who is used to a life of ultra luxury.
Ram Rahim was medically examined by doctors, led by the Rohtak chief medical officer (CMO), and found to be fine.
On Friday, after he was flown to the Rohtak jail, he was lodged in the jail (Prisoner No. 1997).
On Monday, Dera Sacha Sauda followers set two vehicles on fire at Phulkan village near the sect headquarters on the outskirts of Sirsa town, minutes before the sentencing. Security forces rushed to the area to control the situation. Security deployment, including army and para-military forces, continued around the two campuses of the sect near Sirsa.
"We are in control of the situation. We have shown restraint so far. Some dera followers are still present inside the sect headquarters," V. Umashamkar, Commissioner, told media. Curfew continued in affected areas of Sirsa district.
Anshul Chhatrapati, the son of a journalist, who had first exposed sexual exploitation of female disciples by the sect chief in 2002, on Monday said that their stand against Ram Rahim has been vindicated following his conviction and imprisonment.
Anshul, the son of murdered Sirsa-based journalist Ram Chandra Chhatrapati, welcomed the CBI special court judgment. His father was shot dead, allegedly by sect supporters at the behest of the sect chief, in October 2002 after he wrote about shady activities inside the sect headquarters near Sirsa in his vernacular newspaper "Poora Sach" in 2002.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh appealed to people to accept the court verdict. He said that the Punjab government would continue to maintain constant vigil to ensure that peace is maintained in the state, with curfew to remain in force till needed.
'KOI MUJHE BACHA LO': HIGH DRAMA INSIDE COURTROOM AS CONVICTED RAPIST GURMEET RAM RAHIM PLEADS FOR MERCY
The conviction of flamboyant ‘guru’ on charges of raping two of his female followers had sparked widespread protests across Haryana, in which at least 38 people were killed and over 250 injured. The special courtroom within the jail was created on the instructions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, citing security reasons.
self-styled spiritual guru Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh refused to leave the courtroom and wept, begging for leniency. "Mujhe maaf kar do (forgive me)," pleaded the flamboyant chief of the Dera Sacha Sauda sect, who claims a legion of followers.
The moment the sentence was announced, he broke down, fell to the floor and cried.
"Main begunah hoon (I am innocent)," he wailed before being led out of court by commandos.
Here is a list of all the theatrics which the Dera chief reportedly displayed inside the courtroom.
* Soon after the quantum of his sentence was pronounced, Gurmeet Ram Rahim broke into tears and pleaded for mercy with folded hands. Later on, he refused to leave the courtroom. “Thodi ji riyayat (have some mercy),” a weeping Gurmeet Ram told the judge, DNA reports.
* According to News18, Ram Rahim was not cooperating with security personnel, who warned him that he would be taken inside the jail forcefully if he doesn’t follow the rules. While being dragged out of the court, Ram Rahim, who describes himself as a “scientist” and “de-addiction specialist”, kept on crying saying ‘koi mujhe bacha lo (somebody save me)’, the DNA report adds.
* Adding more drama, rape convict Ram Rahim subsequently complained of severe uneasiness as ambulance rushed inside jail premises. “I need urgent medical help and the state will be responsible if anything happens to me,” said Ram Rahim outside court, according to News18.
*Refusing to cooperate with officials, he was eventually taken inside Rohtak jail premises after CMO Dr Deepa ruled out the need for any leniency on medical grounds, News18 reports.
* According to reports, CBI court also directed jail officials to give jail uniform to convict Ram Rahim and also said that he would not be permitted to carry his personal clothes.
