Arrest warrants issued against Rohtak spiritual leader
CHANDIGARH: Noticing “intentional disobedience of court directions”, the Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday issued non-bailable warrants of arrest against spiritual head of Satlok Ashram in Rohtak district, Rampal and Rashtriya Samaj Seva Committee president Ram Kanwar Dhaka.
The division bench headed by justice M Jeyapaul made it clear to the Haryana home secretary as well as DGP to ensure that Rampal and Dhaka are arrested and brought before the high court for next hearing on November 11.
The high court had directed the spiritual head and Dhaka to remain present in the court during Wednesday’s hearing in a contempt of court case against them. But both failed to appear and only Dr OP Hooda, himself a contemnor, came in the court with a medical certificate issued by him showing the spiritual head was suffering from conjunctivitis (inflammation in eyes). Peeved by the drama, the court said, “We are not satisfied with the certificate issued for the absence of Baba Rampal. At any rate, conjunctivitis problem cannot be sufficient to excuse the presence of contemnor. In our considered view, it is a lame excuse invented resourcefully for not complying with the directions of this court to appear for hearing today. Further, we find that no application was filed praying to excuse his absence today on medical ground.”
In case of Dhaka, his counsel informed the court that though Dhaka made all efforts to come to the court but his committee members prevented him. Taking serious note of such submissions, justice Jeyapaul said, “Such an audacious explanation given by Ram Kanwar Dhaka is deprecated by this court.”
The court added, “In spite of our direction that he should join the main contemnor Baba Ram Pal to prevail upon committee members/followers/disciples not to come down to Chandigarh, learned senior counsel for UT, Chandigarh, would submit that about 40,000 members had assembled at railway station today and in fact they had the audacity to break even the barriers put up by police officials.”
HARYANA HOME SECY, DGP TOLD TO ENSURE ARREST OF RAMPAL, RASHTRIYA SAMAJ SEVA COMMITTEE CHIEF AND THEIR PRESENCE IN COURT ON NOV 11
The court directed the court registry to put up the records concerning grant of bail to Rampal by the high court on May 14, 2008, for examination. The Punjab and Haryana governments were also ordered to extend their cooperation to the Chandigarh administration for maintaining law and order in the city by next date of hearing with the same set of security provided for Wednesday.
Advocate Devender Punia appearing for District Bar Association, Hisar, was also directed to furnish a copy of compact discs produced in the case to the amicus curiae, senior advocate Anupam Gupta.
He informed the court that after careful research, he had found that unfortunately the court does not have powers to put contemnors behind bars during pendency of case. “However, the court has powers to secure their possession by coercive action on every date of hearing,” he submitted. ‘CONTEMPTUOUS ACT AGAINST JUDICIARY’
“It is a contemptuous act against entire judiciary. The high court can’t remain blind to this,” said senior advocate Anupam Gupta, addressing the court before the court dictated its orders.
Citing earlier judgment of the Supreme Court, he said, “The Supreme Court’s constitutional bench in a Manipur legislator’s case had ordered state to use its all machinery to secure his presence in the court in a contempt case.”
Gupta averred, “Cancelling his (Rampal’s) bail should be examined in view of this sweeping, pervasive obstruction in the case. He has been granted exemption from personal appearance 42 times in the case.” Gupta further submitted that Rampal comes in a SUV during the case hearings and a “highly organised bandobast” is made for him by his own members who even oust advocates from the courts.