The spotlight is now on Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Insan as the special CBI court convicted the godman of rape and criminal intimidation. Even as reports of violence from several parts of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and parts of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh dominate the headlines for the next few days, there is another case against the godman that awaits a final hearing.

On October 24, 2002, journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati was shot dead point-blank after he exposed an anonymous letter in his newspaper Poora Sach addressed to then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, which detailed how the Dera chief treated sadhvis at the Dera headquarters in Sirsa. Fifteen years on, his son Anshul Chhatrapati is fighting the legal battle to avenge his father’s murder at the behest of the godman.

After Friday’s verdict, Anshul seems to have got a new lease of life and hope. “Ye nyayapalika ne jo aj judgment diya hai wo swagat yogya hai (I welcome the judgement of the court),” Anshul told Newslaundry. “Un ladkiyo ki ladai kafi mushkil thi. Itni takatwar shakti ke sath 15 saal tak tikay rehna bohot badi baat hoti hai (The women fought a tough battle. It is not easy to stand against a powerful man for 15 years),” he said as he recalled his own fight against the godman.

Anshul expressed his deep gratitude for the special CBI court that is due to conduct the final hearing in the case of his father’s murder on September 16. “Chargesheet me Dera head ko conspiracy ke tehat involve kya gaya hai (Dera chief has been accused of conspiracy in the chargesheet),” Anshul told Newslaundry. Besides the godman, three others have been charged for the murder of the journalist. “Ek Dera ka manager hai jiska licensed revolver istemaal kiya gaya shooter dwara aur do shooters hai (Nirmal, Kuldeep) jinpe 302 and 120 (b) lagaya gaya hai (Dera’s manager whose licensed revolver was used and two shooters [Nirmal and Kuldeep] have been charged under sections 302 and 120 (b)),” he added.

Anshul was 21 when he began his fight to avenge his father’s murder. But as his father fought for his life at a hospital for several days and testified against the Dera chief, the police allegedly refused to include his name in the first information report. But today, the case has reached its final stage and Anshul hopes for a similar verdict from the Panchkula court that delivered justice to the Dera rape victim.

The author can be contacted on Twitter @shrutimenon10.