Five Haryana cops deployed in dera chief’s security dismissed

THE FIVE HAD STOPPED SECURITY PERSONNEL FROM ARRESTING THE SELFSTYLED GODMAN AFTER HIS CONVICTION ON AUGUST 25

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government on Thursday dismissed five police personnel, who were deployed in the security detail of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, for allegedly stopping security personnel from taking the self-styled godman in custody after his conviction by a CBI court on August 25.

“The five police personnel were dismissed from service as they did not cooperate with the police on August 25,” director general of police (DGP) BS Sandhu said.

The five, who were arrested on August 25 evening, have been identified as sub-inspector (SI) Krishan Dass, head constables Ram Singh, Vijay Singh and Ajay and constable Balwan Singh.

While two each hail from Sirsa and Hisar, one is from Kaithal. They were part of the inner security cordon of the dera head, who had Z-plus security. The security cover of the dera head now stands withdrawn after his conviction and sentencing for 20 years in rape cases.

On August 26, they were booked under section 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon); 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object); 224 (resistance or obstruction by a person) 307 (attempt to murder), 511 (punishment for attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life or other imprisonment), 121 (waging or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war against the government of India), 121-A, 130 (aiding escape of, rescuing or harbouring such prisoner), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections 25-54-59 of the Arms Act.

The police had said the five had tried to help the dera chief flee when he was brought outside the Panchkula court complex immediately after his conviction.

On Wednesday, they were produced in a court which sent them to seven-day police remand.