Panchkula: He retracted his statement in 2012, but now, Khatta Singh has moved an application in a special CBI court in Panchkula to record a fresh statement against Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the murder cases filed against the self-styled godman. Khatta is the witness in the murder cases.
"Khatta Singh changed his 2007 statement in 2012 out of fear. With the changed circumstance, he has decided to appear before the court and give his statement," said Khatta’s lawyer.
"I was scared that they would kill me and my son, we were threatened," Khatta told reporters in Panchkula.
The CBI court has fixed the next date of hearing on his application for September 22, where it will take decision whether to record his statement again or not.
The hearing on the murder cases against Ram Rahim is underway at the special CBI court.
The security was tightened in Panchkula town ahead of the hearing of two separate murder cases against the Dera Sacha Sauda chief.
Dera followers and functionaries had allegedly murdered Sirsa-based journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati and former Dera manager Ranjit Singh in 2002 on Ram Rahim's orders.
On August 25, the Dera chief was convicted of raping two women followers and was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment by a Special CBI court.
He is lodged in Sunaria Jail near Rohtak. Since he can't be physically produced before the court, the hearing is taking place via a video call.
In August, Dera followers in Panchkula had assembled ahead of the hearing of rape case against Ram Rahim and turned violent after the verdict was declared against the Dera chief.
Violence broke out in other parts of Haryana and Punjab, and also in Delhi, wherein 38 people died while 264 were injured.
