ThePunjab and Haryana High Courton Saturday acquittedGurmeet Ram Rahim Singhin the 2002 murder case of journalistRam Chander Chhatrapati, overturning a life sentence awarded by a specialCentral Bureau of Investigationcourt in 2019.

Confirming the development, Ram Rahim’s lawyer Jitender Khurana said the High Court set aside the conviction in the case. In 2019, a special CBI court had convicted Ram Rahim along with three others — Kuldeep Singh, Nirmal Singh and Krishan Lal — for Chhatrapati’s murder and sentenced them to life imprisonment under Sections 302 (murder) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

Journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati, who ran the newspaperPoora Sach, was shot outside his residence inSirsain October 2002 and later died from his injuries. The attack occurred after his newspaper published an anonymous letter alleging sexual exploitation of women followers at theDera Sacha Saudaheadquarters.

Following the incident, Chhatrapati’s family approached the High Court in 2003 seeking a probe by the CBI. The investigation was subsequently transferred to the agency, which filed a chargesheet in 2007.

Despite the acquittal in the murder case, Ram Rahim will remain in prison. In 2017, he was convicted of raping two female disciples and sentenced to 20 years in jail. He is currently lodged in Sunaria jail inRohtak.