2015 sacrilege cases: UT court sends Kaler to 4-day police remand

Kaler was one of the three absconding Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda national committee members and was arrested by the crime investigation agency (CIA) of Faridkot police from Gurugram on February 10.

The court of chief judicial magistrate on Tuesday sent Pardeep Kaler, an accused in the five sacrilege cases in 2015, to 4-day police remand.

Punjab Police had issued a look-out circular (LOC) against Kaler in three interlinked sacrilege cases of Faridkot, including Bargari in which dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has been named as the main conspirator, in November 2021. He was declared a proclaimed offender in sacrilege cases by the courts.

Kaler was one of the three absconding Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda national committee members and was arrested by the crime investigation agency (CIA) of Faridkot police from Gurugram on February 10.

Punjab Police had issued a look-out circular (LOC) against Kaler in three interlinked sacrilege cases of Faridkot, including Bargari in which dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has been named as the main conspirator, in November 2021. He was declared a proclaimed offender in sacrilege cases by the courts.

In February last year, the Supreme Court had transferred the trial against the dera head and seven followers in three interlinked cases of Bargari sacrilege from a court in Faridkot to Chandigarh. The trial has now begun in a Chandigarh court.

After his arrest, Kaler was produced in a Faridkot court, which extended his police remand till February 16.

Kaler was first produced in the Chandigarh court on February 16, wherein he was sent to a 4-day police remand. As the remand ended today, he was produced again in the court where police sought a five-day remand.

The police said that they needed further remand as they had to take the accused to two centres of Dera Sacha Sauda, one of which is in Sirsa. The court of CJM Aman Inder Singh, granted a four-day remand.