Politics
18:06, 28-Aug-2017
Indian sect leader sentenced to 20 years in jail, CBI confirms
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Indian sect leader Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after being convicted of rape, a spokesperson for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), India's top investigating agency, confirmed.
A special CBI court in Rohtak, located in India's northern Haryana state, passed the verdict on Monday against Singh, self-styled "godman" and leader of the Dera Sacha Sauda sect.
Earlier on Monday, India media initially reported that the court had sentenced Singh to 10 years in prison.
In fact, he was found guilty of sexually assaulting two female followers and jailed for 10 years for each case that will run consecutively.
The CBI court on Friday convicted Singh of raping two of his followers in 2002.
Following the verdict, thousands of angry protesters rioted against the ruling in the streets, leaving at least 36 people dead and over 200 people injured.