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Saturday, January 12, 2019, 12:38
Indian guru in prison for rape is convicted of murder
By Associated Press
Saturday, January 12, 2019, 12:38 By Associated Press

In this Oct 5, 2016 file photo, Indian spiritual guru who calls himself Dr. Saint Gurmeet Singh Ram Rahim Insan, center, greets followers as he arrives for a press conference ahead of the release of his new movie "MSG: The Warrior Lion Heart," in New Delhi, India. The flamboyant spiritual guru was convicted on Jan 11, 2019 of murdering a journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati 16 years ago. (TSERING TOPGYAL / AP)

NEW DELHI — A popular and flamboyant spiritual guru in India, who is serving 20 years in prison for raping two female followers, was convicted Friday of murdering a journalist 16 years ago in another case.

Judge Jagdeep Singh convicted the guru, who calls himself Dr Saint Gurmeet Singh Ram Rahim Insan, and three other people and will sentence them on Jan 17.

All four could face death sentences in the killing of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati after he published a letter in his newspaper alleging sexual exploitation of women by the guru.

READ MORE: 30 die in India riots over guru verdict

The guru was named as the main conspirator in the murder case.

He is currently being held in a prison in the northern India town of Rohtak after he was sentenced in August in the rape case.  He was also fined 3 million rupees (US$47,000).

His conviction last year sparked violent protests by his followers that left at least 38 people dead and hundreds injured in the northern town of Panchkula.

ALSO READ: Indian court jails spiritual guru for life in rape case

He played himself in hagiographic biopics and courted India's powerful politicians. He lived with tens of thousands of his followers on a sprawling 400-hectare ashram in Haryana state until he was sentenced last year.

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