Court reserves verdict in rape case against Dera Sacha Sauda chief

Rajinder Nagarkoti
Tribune News Service
Panchkula, August 17

A special Central Bureau of Investigation court in Panchkula has reserved its verdict in a rape case against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for August 25.

Both prosecution and defence concluded their verdict on Thursday. Singh, the head of the sect that is headquartered in Sirsa, has been told to appear in person before the court on the day of the verdict, CBI counsel HPS Verma said on Thursday.

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The Punjab and Haryana High Court asked the CBI to book the Dera chief on charges of having raped two ‘sadhvis’, or female followers, on the campus of the sect on the outskirts of Sirsa in 2002 after anonymous letters addressed to then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the then chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court made the allegation.

The CBI submitted a charge sheet on July 30, 2007. The court framed charges against Singh under sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code on September 6, 2008.

Singh has denied the charges.

Meanwhile, security has been heightened in Punjab and Haryana after both states demanded more troops ahead of the verdict.

Officials said security personnel have also been stationed around the Dera at Sirsa.

Dera Sacha Sauda has huge following in Punjab and Haryana. (With inputs from PTI)