The CBI Special court at Panchkula on Thursday pronounced life imprisonment to Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Singh alias Gurmeet Ram Rahim and three others including Kishan Lal, Kuldeep Singh and Nirmal Singh who were declared guilty of murdering Sirsa-based journalist Ram Chander Chatarpati in 2002.

The special court on January 11, 2019 had declared all four guilty of the murder of the journalist Ramchander Chatrapati and quantum of sentence had to be decided on Thursday.

While Gurmeet Singh and Kishan Lal have been charged under section 120B and 302, Kuldeep and Nirmal who had killed Chatarpati have been charged under Arms Act and sections 120B and 302 of IPC.

Keeping the law and order situation in view, Gurmeet Singh appeared in the court via video conferencing, from Sunaria jail, Rohtak while three other accused appeared in the court through video conferencing from Ambala jail.

The judgement was pronounced by the same judge Jagdeep Singh who had earlier sentenced Gurmeet Singh for 20 years in female disciple rape cases.