Punjab-Haryana HC Acquits Gurmeet Ram Rahim in Journalist Ramchandra Chhatrapati Murder Case

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has acquitted Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the murder case of journalist Ramchandra Chhatrapati, who was shot dead on October 24, 2002, after consistently exposing alleged wrongdoing within the Dera. The ruling marks a significant legal development in one of the most closely watched cases in the history of Indian press freedom.

Ramchandra Chhatrapati ran his own newspaper and had been persistently reporting on allegations concerning the sexual exploitation of sadhvis within the Dera Sacha Sauda — the same charges for which Gurmeet Ram Rahim is currently serving a prison sentence at Sunaria Jail in Rohtak. His reporting earned him repeated threats from the Dera.

On the night of October 24, 2002, Chhatrapati's family was preparing dinner when someone called out to him at the door. His son Anshul followed his father outside and witnessed the attack — two men on a scooter, both armed with revolvers, opened fire before the family could react. Ramchandra Chhatrapati was struck by five bullets and collapsed. He later succumbed to his injuries, leaving behind a family and a legacy of fearless journalism.

The High Court's acquittal comes while Gurmeet Ram Rahim remains incarcerated in connection with the sexual exploitation of sadhvis — the very issue that Chhatrapati had spent years bringing to public attention. The murder case had been seen as directly linked to the journalist's reporting on those very allegations, making the acquittal all the more significant and painful for the Chhatrapati family.