Chandigarh, March 10 -- Highlighting serious gaps in the investigation into the 2002 murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati, where Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's involvement was alleged, the Punjab and Haryana high court has said that the guilt of the dera head is not "proved" and that the "benefit of doubt necessarily has to go to the accused, Ram Rahim".

On March 7, the HC acquitted Ram Rahim of conspiracy charges in the 2002 journalist murder case. However, the court upheld the decision to award life sentences for the three co-convicts: Krishan Lal, Nirmal Singh, and Kuldeep Singh, alias Kala.

Chhatrapati was shot at point-blank range outside his house on October 24, 2002. The attack came months after his newsp...