Chandigarh court acquits six Dera followers in 2017 rioting case

A local court in Chandigarh has acquitted six Dera followers who were arrested in connection with an 8-year-old rioting case. The prosecution failed to prove the charges against the accused, who were alleged to have planned violence in Chandigarh after the conviction of Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in Panchkula.

The acquitted individuals include Maninder Singh, Ranjit Kumar, Dharminder, Krishan Pal, Anup Singh, and Sukhwinder Singh. The case dates back to August 25, 2017, when the Chandigarh Police registered an FIR under Sections 147, 148, 149, 188 and 120-B of the IPC, and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act at the Manimajra police station on the statement of SI Rohit.

He said on August 25, 2017, three outer police checkpoints were set up in Chandigarh at Mansa Devi Road, Dhillon Barrier and Housing Board light point to maintain law and order during Ram Rahim’s court appearance in Special CBI Court, Panchkula. However, after his conviction was announced, six private security guards, dressed in safari suits, attempted to forcibly enter Chandigarh with a Gypsy vehicle, allegedly intending to incite violence.

The police stopped and searched the vehicle, recovering a 7.65-mm pistol, 25 live cartridges, iron rods, and other objects. The accused claimed they were bodyguards of Ram Rahim and had travelled to Panchkula in the Gypsy. However, Harish Bhardwaj, counsel for the accused, argued that they were falsely implicated, citing a lack of independent witnesses and improper sanctions under the Arms Act.

The public prosecutor alleged that the accused were involved in violence following Ram Rahim’s conviction. Nevertheless, after hearing the arguments, the court acquitted all six accused of the charges against them.

After hearing the arguments, the court acquitted all six accused of the charges framed against them. This verdict raises questions about the investigation and prosecution’s handling of the case. Similar cases have been reported in the past, where Dera followers were acquitted due to lack of evidence.