January 12, 2019

INDIA: A Court Has Convicted Self-Styled Indian "godman" For Murdering A Journalist Who Exposed Him For Committing Sexual Abuses. He's Already In Jail For Raping 2 Of His Disciples.

Xinhua News, China
written by Staff
Friday January 11, 2019

NEW DELHI, Jan. 11 - A special court in India convicted self-styled "Godman" Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who was already in jail over rape charges in the murder case of a journalist more than 16 years ago.

A journalist named Ramchandra Chhatrapati was murdered after he had published an anonymous letter about the sexual exploitation of women by Singh at his headquarters "Dera Sacha Sauda" in Sirsa district of northern state Haryana.

Besides the "Godman," three others were too pronounced guilty in the journalist's murder case. The quantum of punishment will be announced on Jan. 17, said media reports.

Violence erupted in Panchkula and Sirsa districts of Haryana in August 2017 after Singh was convicted in the rape cases. Over 40 people were killed and scores of others injured in the violence.

The self-styled "Godman" was infamous for leading a mysterious life, wearing colourful clothes, riding high-end motorbikes, and owning huge properties both in India and abroad. He enjoyed tremendous political influence in Haryana state across all major political parties and senior politicians.

He was found guilty of forcibly keeping women at his headquarters in Sirsa for deriving sexual favors.
South China Morning Post
written by Staff
Friday January 11, 2019

A court in India on Friday convicted a religious cult leader of murdering a journalist who exposed him for committing rampant sexual abuses.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who headed the powerful Dera Sacha Sauda sect which has millions of followers worldwide, is already serving a 20-year prison sentence for rape.

The court found 51-year-old Singh and three of his close aides guilty of killing local newspaper journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati in 2002.

Chhatrapati was shot outside his house after his local newspaper published an anonymous letter describing rampant sexual abuse by Singh at his sprawling and luxurious sect headquarters.

The maximum sentence is the death penalty.

When Singh was convicted in 2017 of raping two of his disciples, his followers went on the rampage leaving nearly 40 people dead.

To avoid a repeat, Friday’s court proceedings were conducted via video link from his jail cell in the northern state of Haryana.

Riot police patrolled outside the special court in the city of Panchkula.

Since 2015, Singh has also been on trial for castrating 400 of his followers, who alleged that they were promised spiritual gains. 😦

His sect defended the sterilisation, claiming it was done to “safeguard female followers from possible sexual advances”.

Singh is also accused in the murder of his former manager after he threatened to expose his wrongdoings.

Posted by Princess Mononoke at 8:22 PM

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