BREATHER FOR ‘SANT’ RAMPAL

A Haryana court acquitted ‘godman’ Rampal in two criminal cases He will, however, continue to remain in jail as he faces three cases.

A Hisar court acquitted self-styled godman Rampal on Tuesday in connection with two criminal cases against him, citing lack of evidence.

Judicial magistrate, Hisar, Mukesh Kumar, pronounced the verdict, acquitting Rampal, head of Satlok Ashram, Barwala, and his followers here.

Rampal would remain in jail as he faces other charges, including sedition, said the defence counsel. The court is yet to announce a decision on more serious allegations of murder, attempted murder, and sedition that have been filed against him

“He has been acquitted in the two cases (426 and 427). It’s a victory of truth,” said Rampal’s lawyer AP Singh.

The Indian Penal Code sections pertain to causing damage to public property and person.

The 66-year-old leader, who runs a sect housed in a sprawling 12-acre ashram in Hisar’s Barwala, first burst into prominence in the late 1990s after touring Haryana as a ‘bhajan’ singer.

On August 24, the judge had deferred the date of hearing to August 29 after the police cited tension in the wake of the Dera Sacha Sauda case.

On November 17, 2014, a case was registered against Rampal and his followers under sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public function), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 353 (assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty) of the IPC.