Details of ₹290-cr damages, other expenses submitted

The damages were incurred during the violence reported after conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim in two rape cases

CHANDIGARH: The governments of Punjab and Haryana on Wednesday submitted details of losses to public and private properties and others expenses to the tune of Rs 290 crore, incurred in 2017 during the violence reported after conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim in two rape cases.

The Punjab government told court that it incurred Rs 38 crore on security arrangements and losses of another Rs 133 crore on damages to public and private properties and loss to the state exchequer. The total amount quoted by the state is Rs 171 crore.

On the other hand, Haryana told court that Rs 118.96 crore losses/expenses were incurred including Rs 20 crore on security arrangements, Rs 18 crore losses to government exchequer and loss to government and private properties worth Rs 80 crore across state. Properties worth Rs 13 crore got damaged in Sirsa and Rs 10 crore in Panchkula, the state told court.

The details were submitted after the high court last month asked both the governments to submit details of damages reported on August 25, 2017 and thereafter. These details were submitted in 2017 as well.

The details were sought by the bench of justice AG Masih and two other judges, justice Ritu Bahri and justice TS Dhindsa. The proceedings in this case could not be effectively conducted since March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Now, the court is of the opinion that settlement of claims should be settled on priority. The issue of whether the dera head is to be made to pay or if it is to be paid by the respective administrations is to be decided by the high court.

The Chandigarh administration and Centre are yet to submit details of expenses incurred on arrangements and loss to the government exchequer and properties.

The plea in which these details have been submitted was accepted by high court for hearing, days before the conviction. It initially was from a resident seeking court intervention as thousands of Dera followers had gathered before the conviction date in 2017 and he feared violence. Later, scope was widened and issue with regard to compensation for damages, who was responsible for violence and state agencies’ role etc, were added for court’s consideration.

On August 25, 2017, the dera head was convicted in two rape cases of his disciples in 2002 in Sirsa-based dera headquarters. The conviction had led to widespread violence in Panchkula and parts of Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh in which, at least 41 persons had died, including 30 in Panchkula.

Later, the dera head had to be handed down the sentencing order through video hearing.

He is lodged in Sunaria jail since then. He was awarded 20-year jail term for the rape cases.

Subsequently, he was also convicted in two murder cases of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati and former dera manager Ranjit Singh, both reported in 2002.