Rape accused godman Ram Rahim Singh approaches HC

Agencies

September 25, 2017

Chandigarh, Sept 25: Jailed Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh today moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court, challenging a special CBI court's verdict sentencing him to 20 years in prison for raping two disciples.

The CBI court in Panchkula on August 28 had sentenced Ram Rahim to 20 years in prison after his conviction.

"We have filed an appeal today in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Through this, we have challenged the order of the CBI court," defence counsel Vishal Garg Narwana said here.

He said the CBI verdict has been challenged on several grounds.

"One of the grounds was that there was a delay of more than six years in recording the statements of the women (victims) by the CBI after the incident," the defence counsel said.

The CBI had claimed that the two women followers were sexually exploited in 1999 and the agency recorded their statement in 2005, Garg said.

He alleged that the CBI had also concealed some portion of the victims' statement.

Ram Rahim was convicted by the special CBI court on August 25, following which violence and arson had erupted in Panchkula and Sirsa districts which left 41 people dead and scores of injured.

The judge pronounced two sentences of 10 years rigorous imprisonment in each of the two rapes that date back to 2002.

The controversial sect head is currently lodged in Sunaria jail in Rohtak district of Panchkula.

In April 2002, an anonymous letter was written to the then chief justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, complaining about the alleged sexual exploitation of woman followers at the Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters in Sirsa.

In May 2002, the high court directed the Sirsa district and session judge to probe the allegations in the letter. In September 2002, the high court handed over the matter to the CBI after the district court indicated the possibility of sexual exploitation

In December 2002, the CBI registered a case of rape, criminal intimidation against Ram Rahim.

The CBI filed a charge sheet against the Dera head in Ambala court in July 2007. The charge sheet mentioned the sexual exploitation of two 'sadhvis' between 1999 and 2001.

In September 2008, the special CBI court framed charges of rape and criminal intimidation against Ram Rahim.

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IndiGo meltdown: 200 flights cancelled; Bengaluru hit hard with 42 cancellations

News Network

December 3,2025

IndiGo, India’s largest airline, is battling one of its worst operational disruptions in recent years, with hundreds of delays and cancellations throwing domestic travel into chaos.

Government data on Tuesday showed its on-time performance plunging to 35%, an unusual dip for a carrier long associated with punctuality.

By Wednesday afternoon, airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad had collectively reported close to 200 cancellations, stranding travellers across the country.

Crew Shortage After New Duty Norms

A major trigger behind the meltdown is a severe crew shortage, especially among pilots, following the rollout of revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms last month.

The rules mandate longer rest hours and more humane rosters — a shift IndiGo has struggled to incorporate across its vast network.

Sources said several flights were grounded due to lack of cabin crew, while some delays stretched upwards of eight hours.

With IndiGo controlling over 60% of India’s domestic aviation market, the ripple effect has impacted airports nationwide.

IndiGo Issues Apology, Lists “Compounding Factors”

In a statement, IndiGo acknowledged the large-scale disruption:

“We sincerely apologise to customers. A series of unforeseen operational challenges — technology glitches, winter schedule changes, adverse weather, system congestion and updated FDTL norms — created a compounding impact that could not have been anticipated.”

To stabilise operations, the airline has begun calibrated schedule adjustments for the next 48 hours, aiming to restore punctuality. Affected passengers are being offered refunds or alternate travel arrangements, IndiGo said.

What the FDTL Rules Require

The FDTL norms, designed to reduce pilot fatigue, cap duty and flying hours as follows:
•   Maximum 8 hours of flying per day
•   35 hours per week
•   125 hours per month
•   1,000 hours per year

Crew must also receive rest equalling twice the flight duration, with a minimum 10-hour rest period in any 24-hour window.

The DGCA introduced these limits to enhance flight safety.

Hyderabad: 33 Flights Cancelled, Long Queues Reported

Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport saw heavy early-morning crowds as 33 IndiGo flights (arrivals and departures) were cancelled.

The airport clarified on X that operations were normal, advising passengers to contact IndiGo directly for latest flight status.

Cancellations included flights to and from Visakhapatnam, Goa, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Madurai, Hubli, Bhopal and Bhubaneswar.

Bengaluru: 42 Flights Disrupted

Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport recorded 42 cancellations — 22 arrivals and 20 departures — affecting routes to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Goa, Kolkata and Lucknow.

Passengers Vent on Social Media

Irate travellers took to X to share their experiences. One passenger stranded in Hyderabad wrote: “I have been here since 3 a.m. and missed an important meeting.”

Another said: “My flight was pushed from 1:55 PM to 2:55 PM and now 4:35 PM. I was informed only three minutes before entering the airport.”

Delhi Airport Hit by Tech Glitch

At Delhi Airport, the disruption deepened due to a slowdown in the Amadeus system — used for reservations, check-ins and departure control.

The technical issue led to longer queues and sluggish processing, adding to delays already worsened by staff shortages.

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