Sect to challenge ‘unjust’ verdict
The Dera Sacha Sauda on Friday described as “unjust” a special CBI court’s verdict against its chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh convicted in a 2002 rape case and said it would appeal against it.
In a statement in Hindi, signed by spokesperson Dilawar Insaan, the Dera also appealed for peace amid widespread violence after the verdict.
“This is unjust. We will appeal against the judgment,” the statement said. “What has happened with us is something that has happened to gurus through hiscials tory. Dera Sacha Sauda is dedicated to the betterment of humanity. We request all to maintain peace,” the statement further read.
The judgment triggered widespread violence and arson by Ram Rahim’s supporters in Punjab and Haryana. The violence left a trail of destruction and vandalism and many injured, offi- said. CBI judge Jagdeep Singh held the 50-year-old Dera Sacha Sauda chief guilty of rape in a case that was registered in 2002 on the basis of an anonymous written complaint which said he had sexually exploited two women followers.
On the basis of the report, a case was registered against him in December 2002 by the CBI on the directions of the Punjab and Haryana high court.
The quantum of sentence will be pronounced on August 28, CBI counsel HPS Verma told reporters outside the court. The punishment can be a jail term of not less than seven years but may even extend to life imprisonment.
From schools to shampoos and hair oil to hospitals, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the flamboyant self-styled guru convicted of rape by a court on Friday, runs an empire that would be the envy of any business tycoon.
His Dera Sacha Sauda, a quasi-religious cult with hundreds of thousands of followers, offers a wide variety of products and runs educational and health services, its website claims.
Often called the guru of bling — a reference to his fondness for colourful robes and glares — the chief, who studied up to Class 10, runs 11 schools and two colleges, it says. Sacha Sauda also has factories for confectionery products in its headquarters on the outskirts of Sirsa, residents said.
According to the website, the Dera sells hundreds of products, from grocery items and clothes to batteries, mostly under the brand name MSG.
Cinema is also one of his passions. He has directed and appeared as the hero in four films, so far.
Food items such as biscuits, toffees and confectioneries are produced by the Dera itself. The Dera also sells cosmetics products. The website also states that it runs three hospitals in Sirsa. The educational institutes are in Haryana, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, it adds.
THE PUNISHMENT CAN BE A JAIL TERM OF NOT LESS THAN 7 YEARS BUT MAY EVEN EXTEND TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT