The judge didn’t show leniency neither in awarding jail term nor in using the words in his order. Three days after CBI court judge Jagdeep Singh convicted Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh of rape, he awarded the Dera Sacha Sauda chief 20 years rigorous imprisonment (10 years each for the rape of two disciples), comparing the convict’s act with that of a “wild beast”.

“A man who has neither any concern for humanity nor has any mercy in his nature does not deserve leniency,” the judge said in his order. The judge ruled that Ram Rahim did not deserve “sympathy of the court as he did not even spare his own pious disciples and had acted like wild beast”. Ram Rahim Singh’s actions, he said, reflected “irreparable damages caused… to the heritage of this ancient land”.

Ordering a compensation of Rs. 28 lakh to be shared by the two victims, the judge said Ram Rahim committed breach of the “gravest nature”. “Such criminal acts… are bound to shatter images of pious and sacred spiritual, social, cultural and religious institutions existing in this country since time immemorial, which in turn reflects irreparable damages caused by the acts of the convict to the heritage of this ancient land,” the judge said in his order.

“Acts of convict in sexually exploiting his own female disciples and intimidating them… is taken note of, and such kind of person does not deserve sympathy of the court…”

During arguments on the quantum of sentence, the CBI prosecutor said the act of the Dera chief was one of “custodial rape” and that he had “shattered the faith and exploited both the victims physically and psychologically”.

The CBI urged the court to treat it as the “rarest of rare case” and award maximum punishment..

The Dera chief’s counsel sought leniency, saying the convict had “motivated” people to do social works.

Visibly crestfallen, Ram Rahim refused to move out of the courtroom after being sentenced to 20-year rigorous imprisonment. In tears, Ram Rahim reportedly sat on the floor in the courtroom after the sentencing and had to be dragged out, reports said.

Ram Rahim has been given the tag of ‘1997’ — the number which he will be identified with during his jail term.