A special CBI court in Haryana's Panchkula on Tuesdaydeferred pronouncement of the quantum of sentence on self-styled godman andDera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and four others convicted in a19-year-old murder case.
Earlier this week, the Dera Sacha Sauda chief wasconvicted in a third case relating to conspiring to murder his former manager,Ranjit Singh, in 2002.
He has been undergoing a 20-year sentence at thehigh-security Sunaria jail in Rohtak, 250 kms from state capital Chandigarh,for raping his two disciples, and was sentenced to life for the murder of ajournalist in 2002.
Ram Rahim, 52, attended the day-long hearing relating tothe pronouncement of sentence virtually. He pleaded for mercy on the plea ofthe charitable works that the sect carried out when he was heading.
Ranjit Singh, a former follower of Ram Rahim, was shotdead by four assailants on July 10, 2002, at his native Khanpur Kolian villagein Kurukshetra district.
CBI counsel H.P.S. Verma told the media that theprosecution and defense counsel concluded their arguments.
"The case was adjourned for the next hearing on theplea of the convicts that they need time to file replies," he said, addingthe court listed the matter for next hearing on October 18.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sought deathsentence for Ram Rahim.
The special CBI court had convicted Ram Rahim and fourothers on October 8 in the murder case.
The CBI plea was that Ranjit Singh was murdered as RamRahim suspected that he was behind the circulation of an anonymous letter thatrevealed the sexual exploitation of woman followers at the dera.
His conviction on August 25, 2017, in raping his twodisciples had led to violence in Panchkula and Sirsa, leaving 41 people deadand over 260 injured.
Ram Rahim was patronised by political leaders and partiesin Punjab and Haryana for nearly two decades due to his ability to influencethe votes of his followers.