Indian ‘guru in bling’ sentenced to 20 years jail for rape, lawyers plan appeals
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh claims to have more than 50 million followers worldwide
A lawyer for the victims had said Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was sentenced to 10 years in jail, but India’s Central Bureau of Investigations later clarified he received two consecutive 10-year sentences.
“He has been sentenced for 10 plus 10, which is a total of 20 years of imprisonment. I have the judgment which details the sentence,” said Abhishek Dayal, spokesman for the CBI, which prosecuted the case.
Singh, 50, was convicted on Friday of raping the two women at the sprawling headquarters of his hugely popular Dera Sacha Sauda sect in the northern state of Haryana, in a case dating back more than 15 years.
A movie star, singer and cult leader with a penchant for all things bling, Singh commands the support of large numbers of mostly poorer people in northern India.
Spiritual gurus are believed to possess unique healing powers, and are popular among those whose economic insecurities are outpacing the state’s ability to deliver. As India becomes wealthier and increasing numbers of people feel left behind, they turn to gurus for spiritual and material sustenance.