On HC order, Sirsa admn lets Dera Sacha Sauda handle 10 institutions taken over post ’17 violence

The district administration has allowed the Shri Shah Satnam Ji Research and Development Foundation, a trust of the Dera Sacha Sauda in Sirsa, to handle the affairs of 10 institutions of education and health, including schools and hospitals.

Sirsa Deputy Commissioner Shantanu Sharma informed The Tribune that the district administration took the step in compliance with the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in this regard. The DC said that they sought legal opinion from the District Attorney on the HC orders and then allowed the trust to handle the affairs of these 10 institutions located on the premises of Dera Sacha Sauda.

After the violence in 2017 in view of the verdict on dera head Gurmeet Ram Rahim in a rape case, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had issued directions to form an ad hoc committee comprising Deputy Commissioner Sirsa, District Education Officer and two retired Principals, besides the Chief Medical Officer, to run these institutions.

Hearing the civil writ petition (CWP) on April 4, 2018, HC had issued directions that “…till the question of their legality and legitimacy re-establishment is sub judice before this court, these institutions -- in the interest of students -- need to be run through an ad hoc and interim arrangement under the orders of this court. It is directed that a committee comprising Deputy Commissioner, Sirsa, District Education Officer along with two retired Principals of government colleges/schools shall constitute the ad hoc governing body till further order for the purpose of running these institutes. The dera management is directed to withdraw, collect and disperse funds from these accounts under the written orders of the above mentioned ad-hoc body and spend the funds for payment of salaries of staff and other requirement with prior approval of the said body. The details of the expenditure incurred on day-to-day activities of the educational institute shall be maintained by ad hoc governing body and a report in this regard shall be submitted to this court”.

However, the trust filed an application to allow it to handle the affairs of the institutions.

The HC -- in its September 2025 order -- stated, “…the trust is allowed to operate the bank accounts for effective running of the educational institutions and the hospital”. “In view of the efflux of time and the steps already taken through the court-constituted committee, the High Court held that the impleadment application had been rendered infructuous. Accordingly, the CM-13941-CWP-2017 was dismissed as infructuous,” the HC order stated.