A local court granted two-day remand to interrogate six security men of Dera Sacha Sauda who were allegedly instructed to resort to violence if the verdict did not go in their guru’s favour.
The six dera followers, including a driver, were identified as 25-year-old Ranjit Singh from Sirsa, 27-year-old Dharmender from Uttar Pradesh, 30-year-old Anup from Haryana, 43-year-old Krishanpal Singh from Sangrur, 43-year-old Maninder Singh from Patiala and 36-year-old Sukhwinder Singh from Fatehabad. They were all booked under the Arms Act and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.
The six persons, including a driver, Ranjit Singh (25), resident of Sirsa, Dharmender (27), resident of Uttar Pradesh, Anup (30), resident of Haryana, Krishanpal Singh (43), resident of Sangrur, Maninder Singh (43), resident of Patiala, and Sukhwinder Singh (36), resident of Fatehabad, were produced before the court of judicial magistrate first class, where police sought a week’s remand but were granted two days.
Manimajra station house officer (SHO) Harmanjit Singh told the magistrate that though the accused were taken to Sirsa, they were denied entry into the dera by the army due to security reasons. Hence, they needed more time to interrogate them to be able to take them to Sirsa and arrest a man named Mithoo. Police said he gave the accused fuel, money, a car and a weapon to come to Panchkula as part of Ram Rahim’s cavalcade.
The defence counsel, Gagan Inder Singh, opposed the request for remand claiming that the accused were “blind followers of the self-styled godman and were corrupted by the system since they were poor”. He deposed, “They are poor and fell into a trap.
{{/usCountry}}The defence counsel, Gagan Inder Singh, opposed the request for remand claiming that the accused were “blind followers of the self-styled godman and were corrupted by the system since they were poor”. He deposed, “They are poor and fell into a trap.
{{/usCountry}}As highlighted by HT, the accused got ₹1,000 each and a 30-litre can of petrol. Police said Mithoo got instructions from the dera management, comprising 11 to 12 members who were mostly doctors and lawyers, following which the accused were issued directions.
STRAP/BLURB: The accused allegedly got ₹1,000 each and a 30-litre can of petrol on directions from dera management