Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Case: You Let Panchkula Burn For Political Gains, HC Tells Haryana Govt

The violence claimed 31 lives and injured hundred others with 29 people losing their lives in Panchkula alone.

Chandigarh, August 26: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Saturday rapped up the Haryana government over the violence that erupted in the state following conviction of Dera Sach Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. “You allowed the city to burn for your political gains. It seemed the government has surrendered to agitators,” the court said.

The court asked the Manohar Lal Khattar government for details of Ram Rahim’s movable and immovable properties in Punjab and Haryana till next hearing on August 29. The court has called for a status report regarding the people killed in the violence after the verdict. It has also directed all District Commissioners in Punjab and Haryana to issue public notices within a week inviting claims regarding damage to properties.

The violence claimed 31 lives and injured hundred others with 29 people losing their lives in Panchkula alone. In a matter of half a hour after the verdict was delivered, protesters turned violent taking law into their hands. Media persons were attacked, their vans were vandalised, vehicles were set on fire, stone pelting was reported from various areas in Haryana. The law and order situation deteriorated in Haryana, Punjab, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh with states being put on high alert.

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Nearly 550 people have been rounded up and some arms and ammunition have been recovered. Curfew has been imposed Panchkula, Rohtak and Sira. Six Army columns were deployed in Panchkula to control the situation. “Three rifles, three pistols along with live cartridges and narcotics have been recovered and 65 dera vehicles have been impounded,” Haryana’s Director General of Police (DGP) BS Sandhu said.

The rape case against Ram Rahim dates back to 2002. Two women followers of Ram Rahim sent anonymous letters to then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, accusing the Dera chief of raping them and other sadhvis in his sprawling Dera campus. Following the letter, a case was registered by the CBI against the self-styled godman after allegations of sexual exploitation of the sadhvis.

During the probe, the CBI questioned the sadhvis who had left the Dera. The sadhvis reportedly made shocking allegations against Ram Rahim and two of them accused him of having raped them on account of ‘purity’. The hearing in the case has been on since 2007 when the CBI filed a chargesheet against the Dera chief.

He also faces trial in another case involving the murder of a journalist, Ram Chander Chhatrapati and his follower Ranjit Singh in 2002.