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Rape case: CBI opposes Ram Rahim's fresh list of 24 defence witnesses
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday opposed the fresh list of defence witnesses submitted by Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, head of Sirsa's Dera Sacha Sauda, in the rape case against him.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday opposed the fresh list of defence witnesses submitted by Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, head of Sirsa's Dera Sacha Sauda, in the rape case against him.
The case was registered in 2002 and involves two victims. After the high court order, Ram Rahim had submitted the names of 24 witnesses with reasoning for having each on the list. CBI counsel HPS Verma opposed the list, claiming that it was a ploy to delay the trial.
He submitted a reply regarding each witness on the Ram Rahim list. "There is no relevance of these witnesses," he said.
The prosecution had closed its evidence on September 3, 2013, and both victims stood by their allegations of rape by Ram Rahim. There were 15 prosecution witnesses. In 2002, anonymous letters to the-then prime minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Punjab and Haryana high court chief justice were circulated, alleging sexual exploitation of woman followers at the Sirsa dera.
On September 24, 2002, justice Adarsh Kumar Goel had moved the case to the CBI. The chargesheet was filed on July 30, 2007.
