Self-styled godman Rampal held guilty in 2 murder cases
HISAR : Rampal, self-styled godman of Satlok Ashram at Barwala in Hisar, was convicted on Thursday along with his 28 followers by a sessions court here in two separate cases of murder and other offences.
Additional district and sessions judge DR Chaliya pronounced the verdict after nearly four-year-long trial of the 29 accused in a makeshift court inside the Hisar district jail, where Rampal,67, and his followers have been lodged since their arrest in November 2014.
The quantum of sentence will be pronounced on October 16 and October 17 The two murder cases against Rampal date back to November 2014.
The first case involves the death of a woman in the Satlok Ashram on November 18.
In the second case, Rampal and his 28 followers were booked on charges of murder and wrongful confinement after four women and a child were found dead in Satlok Ashram on November 19.
Thousands of his followers had clashed with police when they had come to arrest him following directions of the Punjab and Haryana high court over contempt of court. Rampal was arrested on November 19, 2014 on charges of murder, attempt to murder, conspiracy, holding illegal weapons, abetting suicide and waging war against government of India.
The Hisar district administration, meanwhile, has made elaborate arrangements to ensure there is no law and order problem in the district after the pronouncement of sentences to the ‘godman’ and his followers.
DC Ashok Kumar Meena said, “The forces will be in Hisar to maintain law and order. “