Ram Rahim's dark secrets: ‘Pitaji’s maafi’ was the code word used to refer rape, says victims

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New Delhi: The statements of the two 'sadhvis' before CBI judges have revealed the horrifying tale of self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who was convicted by the court in rape case on Friday.

If reports are to be believed, the victims stated sequences of events and had recounted the stories how the Dera chief used to rape them and other women of the outfit inside his 'gufa' (a customised underground chamber that was Ram Rahim Singh's personal residence).

"Only female disciples were deployed to guard Ram Rahim's underground living quarters. 'Maafi' (Pardon) was the code word used among disciples to describe rapes," claimed reports in leading daily Times of India, which has copies of victims' statements. 

In her statement to CBI judge A K Verma on February 28, 2009, one of the survivors who hailed from Yamunanagar, Haryana said that she started living in the dera in July 1999 because of her brother, who was reportedly killed after he sought justice for his sister. 

"I did not understand when other female disciples used to ask me if I had been 'granted maafi by pitaji' until I was raped by Gurmeet on August 28/29 1999, inside the gufa," TOI quoted Sadhvi's statement. 

Another sadhvi from Sirsa, who was renamed as Nazam by Dera chief said that in September 1999 she was called inside the 'gufa' and raped by Ram Rahim Singh. He even threatened her not to reveal the crime to anyone.

At least 30 people were killed on Friday as security forces fired at rampaging mobs in Panchkula town in Haryana after a court held self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh guilty of rape and sexual exploitation. The violence also gripped parts of Haryana and Punjab, leaving more than 250 people injured.