Verdict in rape case against dera head on August 25

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 17

A special CBI court in Panchkula today reserved its verdict in a case of alleged rape of ‘sadhvis’ by Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for August 25.

The court, after the conclusion of arguments and submission of case laws, announced that it will pronounce the judgment on August 25. Special CBI Judge Jagdeep Singh also issued directions to the dera head to remain present in person in the court at Panchkula at 2.30 pm on the day of verdict.

The dera chief, who till now used to appear before the court through videoconferencing from the district courts complex in Sirsa, did not turn up today even as a large number of followers, including women and children, gathered outside the courts.

“In the 18 to 20 hearings held in the past one month, he has appeared very rarely, as his counsel has been seeking exemption on health grounds,” said HPS Verma, counsel for the CBI.

DGP BS Sandhu today held videoconferencing with SPs of various districts and asked them to remain in preparedness in case of any eventuality.

Meanwhile, unperturbed by the developments, the dera chief celebrated his 50th birthday with fanfare from August 10 to 16. A battery of BJP leaders, including Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma, former minister of Himachal Pradesh and BJP MLA Rajiv Bindal, BJP disciplinary committee chairman Ganeshi Lal and others, reached Sirsa on Wednesday night to congratulate him on the last day of the celebrations.

Timeline

• 2002: Anonymous letters addressed to then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the then Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court, allege sexual exploitation of women followers at Dera Sacha Sauda in Sirsa
• September 24, 2002: The Punjab and Haryana High Court hands over case to CBI
• July 2007: CBI files charge sheet against the dera head
• September 6, 2008: Special CBI court frames charges against Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh under Sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC
• April 5, 2011: Special CBI court shifts from Ambala to Panchkula; the case also transferred to the Panchkula CBI court
• August 17, 2017: Special CBI Judge Jagdeep Singh reserves verdict for August 25