Special court also fines Ram Rahim Rs30 lakh, part of which will go to the 2 victims

  ROHTAK – A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court has sentenced convicted Dera Sacha Sauda guru Ram Rahim to 20 years in jail for the rape of two female followers in the sect's Sirsa complex in 2002. presiding judge Jagdeep Singh imposed a 10-year jail term for each for the rape conviction. The jail terms will run consecutively. Aside from the jail sentence, Singh imposed a fine of Rs30 lakh on Rahim and of the amount, Rs28 lakh will be divided between the two rape victims. The Times of India quoted Rahim's lawyer SK Garg Narwana as saying he will appeal the sentence before the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Judge Singh was flown to the Rohtak jail by a helicopter from Chandigarh. The library of the prison complex was converted into a courtroom for the hearing. During the hearing, the judge called out the prosecution agency for providing special treatment to Rahim after his conviction on Friday. Singh asked why Rahim was permitted to bring luggage after the conviction in Panchkula and why a woman was allowed to accompany him up to the jail. CBI counsel Sumeet Goel sought harsh punishment for Rahim, citing the heinous nature of the crime and the fact that the two rape victims were in his shelter. Narwana however asked for a light sentence, pointing out Rahim's contribution to Swachhta Abhiyan (cleanliness drives) and other social causes. After hearing the jail sentence, the TOI said Gurmeet broke down and requested leniency. He pleaded to Judge Singh to reduce the jail term and claimed that he had been framed. Rahim also refused to leave the makeshift courtroom and said he did not want to go back to prison. Since Rahim did not serve jail time after being charged with the rape of two women sect members in 2002, he will spend at least half of his sentence in prison before he becomes eligible for bail and that the judge will decide whether to allow Rahim to post bail, according to TOI. After Rahim's conviction last Friday, Rahim's supporters went on a rampage in Panchkula and other Indian cities. Thirty-one people died while hundreds of others were jurt in the riots and ensuing clashes with Indian police. GAC/Expat 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