SIT names Dera Sacha Sauda chief as accused in 'bir' theft case

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, July 6 

The police Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Monday nominated Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim as an accused in the “bir” theft case of June 2015.

In this case, a “bir” of Guru Granth Sahib was stolen from a gurdwara at Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village of Faridkot on June 1, 2015 and on October 12, the torn pages of the “bir” were found scattered near a gurdwara at Bargari.

Two days back, the SIT had arrested seven dera followers in this case of theft.

The SIT on Monday produced the challan (chargesheet) in the court of Judicial Magistrate (First Class). 

It is alleged that under a conspiracy, the national committee of the dera had directed the block committee to execute the sacrilege acts in retaliation as some dera followers at Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village had removed their “sacred” threads and lockets (given to them by the dera) allegedly under persuasion of a Sikh preacher.

In March 2019, the SIT had taken permission from a local court to question Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim.

Probing the incidents of police firing at Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura, the SIT had claimed that several witnesses had named the dera chief.

So his questioning was necessary to unravel the plot behind the police firing incidents and identify the conspirators. The SIT had described the dera chief as a ‘suspect’ at that time.

However, even one year after getting the permission, the SIT is yet to question the jailed dera head.