6-day police remand for Honeypreet
Two sadhvis file a revision petition, seeking enhancement of dera chief’s sentence ‘to meet the ends of justice’
Honeypreet Insan was sent to a six-day police remand by a Panchkula court on Wednesday.
Police had sought a 14-day remand, saying that she was part of the meeting held at Sirsa dera on August 17 where conspiracy was hatched to stage violence in Panchkula if dera chief Gurmit Ram Rahim was convicted in rape case. Baba’s escape bid was also hatched in that meeting, the police further told the court.
Sources said that Honeypreet broke down inside the courtroom when the police custody was announced.
Honeypreet arrived at the Panchkula court complex in the afternoon and was accompanied by Sukhdeep Kaur, who was arrested on Tuesday along with her on Tuesday. Both the women kept their faces covered with dupattas.
Honeypreet topped a list of 43 people “wanted” by the state police in connection with the violence.
The defence counsel said, “Police claimed that a conspiracy was hatched to incite violence on August 25. She (Honeypreet) was not involved in any conspiracy. How can they implicate her in the conspiracy?” “Honeypreet was with the Dera head after his conviction. In no way she was involved in inciting violence,” her counsel said.
Public prosecutor Pankaj Garg said that conspiracy is not one day act. “Police had credible
leads for her involvement in Panchkula police and therefore accordingly we sought her custodial interrogation, which was granted by the court,” he added.
Earlier, Honeypreet and Sukhdeep Kaur were brought from Chandimandir police station to the court complex amid tight security. During questioning by Hayana Police on Tuesday night, Honeypreet had not divulged much.
two female disciples raped by Dera Sach Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh on Wednesday requested the Punjab and Haryana high court to enhance his punishment from 20 years in jail to life imprisonment.
The 50-year-old controversial sect chief was on August 25 found guilty of raping two ‘sadhvis’ that led to his followers resorting to violence that left 38 people dead in Haryana, with most deaths reported from Panchkula.
“We have filed a revision petition on behalf of the rape victims seeking enhancement of sentence which in a rape case is life term,” advocate Navkiran Singh said.
CBI judge Jagdeep Singh had on August 28 awarded 10 years in jail in each of the rape cases to the flamboyant sect leader. He was also fined Rs 30 lakh, with Rs 14 lakh to be paid to each of the two women.
“Gurmeet. who is head of religious organization known as Dera had committed a grave breach of trust and he was called Pita ji (father),” said the petition.
“Abusing his position as religious head in whom the followers had blind faith committed rape with the victim who was under his mental and physical control.”
A person in position of power and trust faces a maximum of life
Gurmeet, head of the dera, had committed a grave breach of trust, and he was called Pita ji...Abusing his position as religious head in whom the followers had blind faith, (he) committed rape with the victim who was under his mental and physical control. VICTIMS’ PETITION IN HIGH COURT
imprisonment for rape under the provisions that were introduced after the 2012 rape and murder of a young physiotherapist in Delhi. A lesser punishment, the petition said, would not achieve “the ends of the justice”.
The latest blow to the controversial sect chief comes a day after his “adopted” daughter Honeypreet was arrested from Punjab after a month-long hunt