A special investigation team (SIT) of Punjab Police arrived at Rohtak’s Sunaria Jail on Monday morning to interrogate Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for his alleged role in the theft of a ‘bir (copy of Guru Granth Sahib)’ from a gurdwara at Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village in Faridkot district on June 1, 2015.
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A jail official, requesting anonymity, said four members of the SIT, led by inspector general Surinder Pal Singh Parmar along with senior superintendent of police MS Bhullar, deputy superintendent of police Lakhvir Singh and inspector Dalbir Singh reached the Sunaria jail premises at 9.45am.
“The SIT has prepared a list of questions for Gurmeet Ram Rahim and they will interrogate him. It depends upon the SIT and the accused how long the interrogation process runs,” the jail official said.
Gurmeet Ram Rahim has been lodged in the jail since August 25, 2017, when he was convicted for raping two women followers and sentenced to 20 years in jail. He was later convicted of the murders of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati and Ranjit Singh, a former dera manager, in which he has got a life sentence.
Security stepped up at jail
{{/usCountry}}Security stepped up at jail
{{/usCountry}}Security arrangements were beefed up at the Sunaria jail premises and only vehicles with prior permission were allowed to enter the premises.
SIT head Surinder Pal Singh Parmar had sent a communication to Rohtak deputy commissioner Manoj Sheoran, informing that on the direction of the Punjab and Haryana high court, the members of the SIT will visit the jail for interrogating Ram Rahim on November 8.
A Faridkot court in Punjab had issued production warrants against Ram Rahim in the case of sacrilege at Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village but the Punjab and Haryana high court directed Punjab Police to interrogate Ram Rahim in Rohtak jail itself, if it so desired, and directed the jail authorities to make arrangements for the SIT to question the dera head.
In July 2020, after the arrest of seven dera followers, the SIT led by former inspector general of police Ranbir Singh Khatra, had named Ram Rahim and three national committee members of the dera, Sandeep Bareta, Pardeep Kler and Harsh Dhuri, as accused in the case.
‘Instigated by dera chief to avenge insult to sect’
The ‘bir’ was stolen from Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village gurdwara on June 1, 2015. On October 12, 2015, torn pages of that ‘bir’ were found scattered in front of a gurdwara in the adjoining Bargari village, leading to statewide protests and death of two Sikh protesters in police firing.
In its chargesheet, the SIT claimed that it was Ram Rahim who ordered to carry out sacrilege to avenge the alleged insult of sect followers by a Sikh preacher.