SC allows trial court ruling in dera chief case

New Delhi, November 30

The Supreme Court today allowed a Panchkula trial court to pronounce judgment in a 1999 rape case against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

A Bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and Amitava Roy rejected the dera chief’s contention that he was unable to defend himself as the initial statements of the two victims under Section 161 of the CrPC were not brought on record during the trial. In their statements, the victims had not named him as an accused, senior counsel V Giri pleaded.

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Appearing for the CBI, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi contended that the fresh plea was a mere ploy to further delay the trial in the 17-year-old case. The trial court and the Punjab and Haryana High Court had taken note of this fact, while the victims had explained in their subsequent statements that they did not initially name him as accused due to threat and fear of stigma.

On November 15, the SC had restrained the trial court from delivering the judgment. The Bench today granted liberty to the accused to argue all the points in the trial court. On July 1, the SC had refused to entertain the dera chief’s petitions for additional handwriting samples of the alleged rape victim and another. — TNS