Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh convicted: All you need to know about the rape trial in CBI court

The Panchkula court on Friday convicted Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a 15-year-old rape case, even as thousands of followers camped in the Haryana town. Here are the details of the case:

Charges against Gurmeet Ram Rahim

The sexual exploitation case was registered against Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in 2002 by the CBI on the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Anonymous letters lead to the FIR
The rape allegations came to light when anonymous letters were circulated about the alleged sexual exploitation of two "Sadhvis" (female followers) by Dera Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim inside the Dera campus on the outskirts of Sirsa town in Haryana.

Trial
Dera chief was charged in 2007 and the trial began the following year after the CBI took the testimonies of the two women. The CBI submitted a charge sheet on July 30, 2007. The court framed charges against Singh under sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code on September 6, 2008.

Dera chief on allegations
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh had denied these charges.

The Dera had described itself as a 'social welfare and spiritual organization'. Gurmeet Ram Rahim claimed to have 50 million followers and runs a spiritual empire.

Thousands of Dera followers are expected to gather at Panchkula for the verdict by a CBI court.