The Supreme Court today listed for final hearing a plea challenging Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's acquittal in a journalist's murder case, noting that the matter required consideration.

A bench of CJI Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana issued notice on the petition filed by the journalist's son Aridaman, challenging the order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which held that the CBI coerced a witness into giving a statement implicating Ram Rahim.

During the hearing, Senior Advocate R Basanth, for Ram Rahim, pointed out that the State had not preferred an appeal against the impugned order. The CJI in response said that the Court was "equally conscious" of the fact that the state might not file an appeal.

Insofar as it was submitted that filing of an appeal against acquittal is a rare event, Justice Bagchi noted that the case at hand was one of reversal - that is, the Special Court had convicted and sentenced Ram Rahim to life imprisonment, but the High Court reversed the decision and returned an acquittal.

The Court orally indicated that it would consider the special circumstances attending the High Court's appreciation of the testimony of prosecution witness No.31. Accordingly, it listed the case for final hearing in November.

Senior Advocate Nitya Ramakrishnan, alongwith AoR Rupali Samuel, appeared for the petitioner.

Background

Ram Chhatrapati, editor of the evening daily Pura Sach, was shot outside his residence in Sirsa on October 24, 2002. He later succumbed to gunshot injuries on November 21, 2002 at Apollo Hospital in Delhi. The attack was allegedly carried out after he published reports accusing Ram Rahim of sexual exploitation of women followers at the Dera.

An FIR was registered under Sections 307 and 34 of the IPC and provisions of the Arms Act at Police Station City, Sirsa. After Chhatrapati's death, the offence was converted to murder under Section 302 IPC and conspiracy under Section 120-B IPC.

Following petitions before the High Court alleging a flawed investigation by the Haryana Police, the probe was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation in 2003.

In 2019, a Special CBI Court convicted Ram Rahim along with Kuldeep Singh, Nirmal Singh and Krishan Lal (Dera manager) for conspiracy and murder, sentencing them to life imprisonment.

In March, 2026, the Punjab and Haryana High Court acquitted Ram Rahim, but upheld the conviction and life sentence of Kuldeep Singh, Nirmal Singh and Krishan Lal. A Division Bench of the Court opined that from the circumstances, the sole witness - Khatta Singh appeared to have been pressured by the CBI to implicate Ram Rahim.

Case : ARIDAMAN v. BABA GURMEET SINGH @ MAHARAJ GURMEET SINGH @ GURMEET RAM RAHIM SINGH AND ANR. Diary No. 40480-2026