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Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh moves Punjab & Haryana HC against rape conviction

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Gurmeet Ram Rahim

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Dera chief was sentenced to 20 years in jail by a special CBI court in Panchkula last month for raping two of his female followers in 2002

Rapist godman, Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, moved the Punjab and Haryana high court, on Monday, against the Panchkula special CBI court’s verdict which had on August 25 held him guilty of raping two of his female followers in 2002.

The Dera chief, who is currently lodged in Rohtak’s Sunaria Jail, has held that the allegations made against him by the two rape survivors are false. Recently dubbed as a “sex addict” by a team of doctors who attended to him in the Sunaria Jail, Gurmeet Ram Rahim has appealed against his conviction on the ground that he is “impotent and thus not capable of” engaging in physical relations – a claim that he had also made before the special CBI court.

The Dera chief’s appeal, filed in the Punjab and Haryana HC by his counsel SK Narvana, has not yet been listed for hearing.

“We have filed an appeal challenging the conviction in the high court,” said SK Narwana, adding: “There are number of material issues on which the appeal has been filed. One of them is that medical examination of the girls (the two rape survivors) was never conducted and also there was no FIR lodged by them.”

The case against the rapist godman had been initiated in 2002 at the behest of the Punjab and Haryana high court which had taken suo motu cognizance of a letter written by one of the two rape survivors to then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in which the woman – a sadhvi at the Dera headquarters in Sirsa, had given a detailed account of how she and other women had been sexually exploited by Gurmeet Ram Rahim.

The Punjab and Haryana high court had directed the CBI to register a case of sexual exploitation against the Dera chief based on allegations made out in this letter, following which the second rape survivor had also filed a complaint citing similar charges against Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. The trial against the Dera chief had begun in 2008, and he was charged under Section 376 (rape) and Section 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.

The time gap between the registration of case against the rapist godman and the purported rapes is another ground that the Dera chief’s counsels seek to use in his favour during proceedings in the appeal filed by them.

“The victims, after more than six years had got their statements recorded before the CBI. These were never placed on record,” Narvana said on Monday.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

India News

PM Modi marks Operation Sindoor anniversary, calls it India’s firm stand against terrorism

PM Modi said Operation Sindoor showcased India’s firm response against terrorism while paying tribute to the armed forces on the operation’s first anniversary.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said Operation Sindoor demonstrated India’s firm response against terrorism and highlighted the country’s commitment to national security.

Marking one year of the operation, the Prime Minister praised the courage, precision and professionalism of the Indian armed forces. He said the military action was carried out in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that had claimed the lives of 26 civilians in 2025.

Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7, 2025, as a calibrated tri-services operation targeting terror infrastructure linked to cross-border terrorism. Reports said the operation showcased coordinated action by the armed forces and was seen as a major counter-terror response by India.

On the anniversary of the operation, PM Modi also changed the display pictures across his social media platforms, including X, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The image carried the text “Operation Sindoor” along with the Indian tricolour design.

The Indian Air Force also shared visuals and messages recalling the operation and highlighting India’s military response. A video released by the force described the operation as a strong message against terrorism and referred to the precision strikes carried out during the mission.

Operation Sindoor was launched following the Pahalgam terror attack, after which India carried out strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, according to official statements and reports published at the time.

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Vijay meets Tamil Nadu Governor again as TVK pushes to prove majority

TVK chief Vijay held another meeting with Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar as the party intensified efforts to secure majority support after emerging as the single-largest party in the Assembly elections.

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Actor-turned-politician Vijay met Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar again on Thursday as his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), continued efforts to prove it has enough support to form the next government in the state.

TVK emerged as the single-largest party in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly after winning 108 seats, but it remains short of the majority mark of 118.

The Congress has extended support to TVK, adding five MLAs to Vijay’s side. However, the alliance still needs additional backing from other parties or independents to comfortably cross the halfway mark.

According to reports, the Governor has not yet been fully convinced that TVK currently has the required numbers to form a stable government. This has delayed clarity over the swearing-in ceremony and the formal invitation to form the government.

Political activity intensified after reports emerged that some AIADMK legislators were moved to a resort in Puducherry amid speculation over possible support to TVK. AIADMK leaders, however, publicly denied any internal crisis.

TVK sources have expressed confidence that the party will be able to demonstrate majority support during discussions with the Governor.

The Tamil Nadu election results marked a major political shift in the state, with TVK breaking the long-standing dominance of the DMK and AIADMK in its first Assembly election contest.

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PM Modi changes social media profile pictures to mark Operation Sindoor anniversary

PM Modi changed his social media profile pictures to commemorate one year of Operation Sindoor, with several NDA leaders following the move.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday updated the display pictures of his social media accounts to mark the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor. The new image was seen across his profiles on X, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp channels.

The updated profile picture carries the text “Operation Sindoor” on a black background along with elements of the Indian tricolour. One of the letters in the word “Sindoor” has been stylised using vermilion, commonly associated with married Hindu women.

Operation Sindoor was launched a year ago by Indian defence forces and the Border Security Force along the western border. The anniversary was also marked by several Union ministers and NDA leaders, who changed their social media profile pictures in a similar manner.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and other senior leaders were among those who adopted the commemorative display image on social media platforms, according to reports.

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