SIT summons Dera Sacha Sauda chairperson, vice chairperson for questioning in sacrilege cases

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, November 24

Two weeks after a four-member Special investigation Team (SIT) of Punjab Police visited Rohtak’s Sunaria jail to question Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in connection with three sacrilege incidents, including theft of a “bir” of Guru Granth Sahib at Burj Jawahar Singh Wala and Bargari, the SIT on Wednesday summoned the chairperson and senior vice chairperson of the dera for questioning.

The SIT has summoned chairperson Vipassana Insaan and senior vice chairperson Dr PR Nain at Ludhiana on November 26, said Surinder Pal Singh Parmar, the IG and head of the SIT.

During the questioning of the dera head on November 9, he denied his involvement in the sacrilege incidents, claiming that he had had no role in the functioning of the dera or decision-making.

The Dera chief claimed that his role was limited to doing ‘satsang’ and preaching the assembly of dera followers. For further investigation in the sacrilege incidents, the SIT has summoned the chairperson and senior vice chairperson, said Parmar.

It is alleged that conspiracies about sacrilege incidents were hatched at the dera headquarters in Sirsa and were allegedly executed by dera members. On the basis of this, the dera chief was named as a prime accused in the sacrilege incidents in July 2020.

The Dera chief is undergoing life imprisonment at Sunaria jail after his conviction in a rape and two murder cases.

Vipassana Insaan and Dr PR Nain are already facing the allegation of orchestrating violence in Panchkula in August 2017 after Ram Rahim was convicted by a special CBI court.