Punjab and Haryana High Court restrains special CBI judge from pronouncing verdict in murder case in which Dera chief is accused

Saurabh Malik
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 24

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Just about two days before the verdict in the Ranjeet Singh murder case allegedly involving Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday stayed the final pronouncement of judgment. Comments were also sought from Panchkula CBI Special Judge.

The directions by Justice Arvind Singh Sangwan came after the Bench was told that “everything has been manipulated through CBI Public Prosecutor KP Singh”. Taking a note of the allegations by victim Ranjeet Singh’s son Jagseer Singh, Justice Sangwan also directed the CBI to place before the Bench KP Singh’s posting order and a specific affidavit on his appointment for CBI Court at Panchkula.

Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate RS Bains with Loveneet Thakur submitted that KP Singh was previously posted with the UT CBI Special Judge, when the presiding officer was posted at Chandigarh.  After his transfer to Panchkula, he was interfering in the administration of justice and was influencing the entire proceedings despite the fact there were two other special public prosecutors appointed for the trial.

Another ground taken by the senior counsel was that a complaint relating to some other trial, “wherein there are allegations that the presiding officer is in constant touch with accused Manish Grover and some other influential persons facing prosecution under the Money Laundering Act”, has been given addressed to the High Chief Justice.

Justice Sangwan also took note of the petitioner’s allegations that footage of the CCTV camera installed in the Court would show KP Singh was attending the Court even on Saturday, which was not a Court working day. Though some personal oral aspersions were made against the Special Judge, the same were not recorded in this order as those were not stated on oath by the petitioner,” Justice Sangwan added.

“The senior counsel for the petitioner has also submitted that the presence of respondent KP Singh is suspicious as rather than assisting the Special Public Prosecutor, he is having a fiduciary relationship over the Presiding Officer. The senior counsel for the petitioner has, thus, submitted that the petitioner has the reasonable apprehension that he may not get justice from the Special Judge, CBI Court, Panchkula,” Justice Sangwan further observed.