E-Paper
Bargari sacrilege case: Court issues notice to police on key accused Kler’s bail pleas
Pardeep Kler is an accused in nine cases of which five are related to sacrilege and the other four are registered against him as he was declared a proclaimed offender.
The local court has issued notice to the police with regard to two bail applications moved by Pardeep Kler, key conspirator in the 2015 Bargari sacrilege cases.
Kler, one of the three absconding Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda national committee members, had been on the run for over six years. He was arrested by the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) of the Faridkot police from Gurugram on February 10.
He is an accused in nine cases of which five are related to sacrilege and the other four are registered against him as he was declared a proclaimed offender.
As per Kler’s counsel, he has been granted bail in seven cases and now bail applications in two cases – wherein he has been declared PO – have been filed.
The applications were filed on Tuesday in the court of district and sessions judge, who has issued notice, and the case is now listed for May 23.
The Punjab Police had issued a look-out circular against Kler 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.
The investigation of three cases was first carried out by the Punjab Police but was transferred to the CBI after Punjab government’s notification on November 2, 2015. However, after the high court’s order, the investigation of this case was again transferred to the SIT of the Punjab Police on January 4, 2021.
As per the CIA, Kler was nominated on the statement of a villager, Pardeep Kumar, on July 3, 2020, and on the disclosure statement of accused Mohinder Pal who was in judicial custody in another FIR lodged in Moga.
