Hindustan Times (Bathinda)

Faridkot court grants bail to Ram Rahim

- Parteek Singh Mahal parteek.singh@htlive.com

FARIDKOT: A Faridkot court on Wednesday granted bail to jailed Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in a 2015 sacrilege case wherein a “bir” (copy) of Guru Granth Sahib was stolen from a gurdwara at Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village in Faridkot district.

The dera head is lodged in Sunaria jail in Haryana’s Rohtak since August 25, 2017, after he was awarded a 20-year jail term for the rape of two disciples.

Punjab Police special investigat­ion team (SIT), probing the 2015 sacrilege incidents, had nominated Ram Rahim as the main conspirato­r in the Bargari sacrilege and derogatory posters case. In March, the SIT filed chargeshee­ts against the dera head in both cases following which the Faridkot court issued his production warrants asking him to appear via video-conference on May 4.

Ram Rahim on Wednesday appeared before the court of chief judicial magistrate (CJM), Faridkot, Monica Lamba in connection with two cases related to the Bargari sacrilege incident. This is the first time the dera head has appeared before the trial court in connection with the 2015 sacrilege cases. The court of CJM supplied the copies of chargeshee­ts filed by the SIT to the counsel of the dera head. The matter was adjourned for May 16 for hearing of arguments on framing of charges.

During proceeding­s, Ram Rahim’s counsel moved three applicatio­ns seeking bail in FIR 63 (registered after a “bir” was stolen from Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village, on June 2, 2015), FIR 117 (registered after derogatory posters were put up at Bargari, on September 24, 2015, night) and FIR 128 (registered after torn pages of a “bir” were found scattered near Bargari gurdwara, on October 12, 2015) at the Bajakhana police station.

The court granted bail to Ram Rahim in “bir” theft case, while a notice was issued to the state government for May 6 to file a reply on the other two bail pleas.

 ?? ?? Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh

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