Rape victims want life imprisonment for Gurmeet Singh, file plea in Punjab and Haryana High Court

Two separate pleas were filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday.

One plea was filed by the Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Singh challenging his 20-year sentence in the rape case, while the other was filed by the two rape victims who want his 20-year sentence to be converted to life imprisonment.

"The revision petition filed by rape victims for enhancing the sentence to life imprisonment for Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has been admitted," victims’ counsel Navkiran Singh said. 

The counsel for Dera sect chief S K Garg Narwana also said, "The court has also admitted our appeal (challenging the conviction)." 

Both the pleas will now be heard together. 

Narwana said, "The high court has also directed us to deposit fine with a bank in the shape of FDR through the court within two months. If our appeal is finalised in our favour, then we will get back money with interest." 

The jailed Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh had moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court on September 25, challenging the order of the special CBI Court of Panchkula which had sentenced him to 20-year-imprisonment for raping two disciples. 

The order was challenged on several grounds including the delay of more than six years in recording the statements of the victims by the CBI. 

Two rape victims had also moved the High court on October 4, seeking life imprisonment for the Dera Sacha Sauda chief. 

"In this case, the Dera sect chief was considered as Pita Ji (father) by his followers. Victims were under the emotional and physical custody of Dera chief and he broke their trust and misused his position as a religious and spiritual leader. Therefore, we sought life imprisonment instead of 20-year-sentence," counsel Navkiran Singh said.

(With PTI inputs)