Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh gets 20 years jail - Chronology of 2002 rape case

Rape convict Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh sentenced to 10 years jail for the rape and sexual exploitation of two female disciples.

August 28, 2017: Rape convict Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh sentenced to 20 years jail for the rape and sexual exploitation of two female disciples.

August 25, 2017: The special CBI court convicts Ram Rahim. Quantum of sentencing to be announced on August 28.

August 17, 2017: Arguments of prosecution and defence concludes. Special CBI Judge Jagdeep Singh fixes August 25 as date for pronouncement of verdict. Gurmeet asked to appear in person before the court the same day.

July 2017: Special CBI court orders daily hearing

April 2011: The special CBI court shifts from Ambala to Panchkula. The case against the Dera chief also transferred to Panchkula CBI court.

Between 2009 and 2010: Two complainants record their statements before the court.

September 2008: The special CBI court frames charges against Gurmeet under sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.

July 2007: CBI files chargesheet against the Dera head in an Ambala court. The chargesheet refers to the sexual exploitation of two ‘sadhvis’ (women followers) between 1999 and 2001.

December 2003: CBI begins an investigation into the rape case against the sect chief.

November 2003: The Punjab and Haryana High Court order a CBI probe into the rape and sexual exploitation of the Sadhvis by the sect chief.

December 2002: CBI registers a case of rape and criminal intimidation against Gurmeet Ram Rahim, head of the Sirsa headquartered Dera Sacha Sauda.

October 2002: Sirsa-based journalist Ram Chandra Chhatrapati shot dead, allegedly by sect supporters, after he wrote about shady activities inside the sect headquarters near Sirsa in his vernacular newspaper 'Poora Sach'.

May 2002: High court directs Sirsa district and sessions judge to probe the allegations in the letter.

April 2002: Anonymous letters written to then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court by two female disciples (Sadhvis) alleging they were raped and sexually exploited by Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

(PTI/IANS inputs)