Court issues fresh warrant against godman Rampal
Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana high court issued a fresh non- bailable warrant for November 21 against controversial godman Rampal after he failed to appear in a contempt case, with his counsel saying he was “unwell”. Hours after Rampal failed to appear before the court and sought more time, his supporters claimed that he had been taken from his ashram in Barwala in Hisar district to an undisclosed destination for “treatment”.
The Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday issued a fresh non- bailable warrant for November 21 against controversial self- styled “godman” Rampal after he failed to appear in a contempt case, with his counsel saying he was “unwell”. The high court on Monday rapped the Haryana government and the state police for failing to arrest Rampal and present him before the court. Citing medical reasons through his counsel, Rampal did not appear before the high court again on Monday for the third time.
Hearing in the matter concerning contempt proceedings against the self- styled “godman”, a division bench of the high court came down heavily on the Haryana government and the police for failing to bring the defiant sect leader before it. The court questioned the state government’s move to withdraw security forces and the police from near the sect ashram near Barwala in Haryana. A spokesman of the sect leader’s Satlok Ashram in Haryana’s Barwala town said on Monday morning that Rampal was medically not fit to appear before the high court in Chandigarh. “His medical condition does not permit him to go out. Doctors have advised him bed rest till November 19. We will submit his medical certificate in the court,” the ashram spokesman said. Tension prevailed outside the ashram complex since Sunday as hundreds of security personnel surrounded the complex and thousands of followers of the sect leader also provided a shield to the ashram by camping outside. Meanwhile, all the followers and devotees of Baba Rampal Satlok Ashram have been asked to vacate the ashram as soon as possible as the high court has issued non- bailable warrant against Rampal.