Hearing in Ranjit Singh murder case via video-conferencing

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 24

The CBI special court has issued notices to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and other accused for conducting proceedings though video-conferencing in the Ranjit Singh murder case.

Ranjit Singh, a dera functionary, was murdered on July 10, 2002, for allegedly circulating an anonymous letter, in which dera followers had accused Ram Rahim of raping them.

The CBI court’s notices come against the backdrop of truncated hearings since March 21 due to the Covid pandemic.

The case is at the final stage of arguments.

During the last hearing on Friday, CBI counsel HPS Verma submitted that the arguments on behalf of the prosecution had already been completed and that an application under Section 311 of the CrPC was moved and one defence witness was examined. Now, part arguments of the defence remained to be addressed.

He submitted that the present matter be put for further proceedings through video-conferencing till the physical hearing of the matter was not feasible

CBI Special Judge Jagdeep Singh ordered, “Keeping in view the stage of the matter and other attending circumstances, let notices be issued to the accused and their counsels to explore the possibility of conducting further proceedings through video-conferencing if physical hearing of the matter does not get functional by the adjourned date.”

The next date of hearing is on November 5.

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