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2015 sacrilege case: Punjab Police can interrogate dera chief in Rohtak jail, says HC
The Punjab and Haryana high court was hearing an anticipatory bail plea from Ram Rahim in a sacrilege case
The Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday told Punjab Police to grill Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim in a 2015 sacrilege case in Rohtak jail itself, if it so desired.
The court was hearing an anticipatory bail plea from Ram Rahim in a sacrilege case.
On Monday, a Faridkot court had issued production warrants against the dera head. He was summoned in the sacrilege case registered on June 2, 2015, at Bajakhana police station in Faridkot for October 29.
During the hearing, state’s advocate general APS Deol had argued that the dera head has emerged as a main conspirator and his custodial interrogation was required. He had also assured that adequate security arrangements would be made to bring him to Faridkot. The government had even submitted that it could even arrange a chopper in view of the law and order issue surrounding him.
However, the court did not agree and after the hearing, which lasted till late evening, said that the police can interrogate him in Rohtak jail, if required. The detailed order is awaited.
Earlier, appearing for Ram Rahim, senior advocate Vinod Ghai told the court that state’s hurry in bringing him to Punjab is unexplained as the FIR in question was lodged in 2015. The statement, which is being cited as basis for his custodial interrogation, was also obtained in July 2020, he had told court adding that custodial interrogation was not required.
He had also argued that the Punjab Police want to arrest him, for which a court order has been obtained seeking his presence. The court could not have ordered production of an accused to facilitate arrest by an investigating agency, he told court.
The apprehension about law and order situation, if he is brought to Punjab, was also brought before the court.
A total of 36 people were killed in Panchkula alone in the violence reported after dera chief’s conviction on August 25, 2017 in two rape cases.
The dera head is lodged in Sunaria jail of Rohtak since August 25, 2017. In 2017, he was awarded 20-year jail term for the rape of two disciples. Subsequently, he has been convicted in murder cases of a journalist, Ram Chander Chhatrapati and Ranjit Singh, a former dera manager, in which life sentence has been awarded.
