File Picture Courtesy : DNA India
In a stern verdict by the special CBI court, the rape convict Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was on Monday sentenced to 20 years in jail.
CBI Judge Jagdeep Singh pronounced two sentences of 10 years rigorous imprisonment in each of the two cases that date back to 2002, said defence lawyer S K Garg Narwana, reports Times of India .
He said both sentences will run consecutively for a total of 20 years in jail for the flamboyant guru.
The court also fined the Dera chief Rs 15 lakh in each of the two cases, of which Rs 14 lakh each would go to the two victims who were part of his sect and were coerced into having sex with him.
Earlier, it was reported that the Dera chief would spend 10 years in jail for both rape cases.
The Dera chief apparently sobbed in the courtroom as he begged to be treated leniently and asked to be forgiven, reported Times Now.
During the arguments before the sentencing, the prosecution said no leniency should be shown and demanded the maximum sentence for Gurmeet Ram Rahim. The defence argued that the Dera chief is a social worker who has worked for the welfare of people, so judge should take a lenient view.
Gurmeet Ram Rahim was on Friday ruled guilty of rape by the special CBI court in Panchkula, Haryana. He was immediately taken into judicial custody but his followers in Haryana and Punjab went on the rampage resulting in the death of 38 people and crores of damage to public property.
To avoid a repeat of Friday’s violence, sentencing was held in a court specially set up inside the district jail premises in Sunaria near Rohtak, where Ram Rahim was brought and lodged after his conviction.
CBI special court judge Jagdeep Singh was flown to Rohtak on Monday to pronounce the sentence.
