Fri Sep 05 01:49:02 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
**Punjab and Haryana High Court Suspends Life Sentence of Self-Styled Godman Rampal**
Chandigarh – September 5, 2025 – The Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted a suspension of the life sentence of Rampal, a self-styled godman, who was convicted in 2018 for his involvement in the deaths of five of his disciples in 2014. The decision comes seven years after he was originally sentenced.
Rampal, the head of Satlok Ashram, and several of his followers were found guilty in two separate cases concerning murder, wrongful confinement, and criminal conspiracy. The charges stemmed from a violent standoff on November 19, 2014, between police and Rampal’s followers at his ashram in Hisar district, resulting in the deaths of five individuals, including four women.
A division bench, comprised of Justices Gurvinder Singh Gill and Deepinder Singh Nalwa, issued the suspension order following a petition filed by Rampal seeking suspension of his sentence. The court acknowledged “debatable issues” regarding the cause of death and noted that eyewitness testimonies, including relatives of the deceased, did not fully support the prosecution’s case, suggesting that suffocating conditions caused by tear gas shells may have contributed to the fatalities.
Considering Rampal’s age (74) and the fact that he has already served over 10 years and 8 months of his sentence, the Court deemed it appropriate to suspend the sentence pending the outcome of his main appeal. However, the court has stipulated strict conditions for his release, including a prohibition on promoting mob mentality and participating in gatherings that could potentially disrupt peace and order. The state reserves the right to seek cancellation of his bail if these conditions are violated or if Rampal is found inciting others to commit offences.
The case garnered national attention in 2014 when Rampal and his followers clashed with police during an evacuation of his 12-acre ashram, resulting in a tense standoff. Rampal’s counsel argued that the deaths were caused by suffocation and a subsequent stampede after police used tear gas, not by direct actions of Rampal. They further argued that Rampal has been falsely implicated and that, given the release of his other co-accused, he deserves similar consideration.
The state, however, argued that Rampal was essentially holding individuals hostage, leading to the suffocating conditions that caused their deaths.
The High Court’s decision marks a significant development in this long-standing case, and the situation will continue to be monitored closely.
First Piper 