Days after the Supreme Court lifted the stay imposed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in sacrilege cases, the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government has given permission to prosecute Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. Let us tell you that these incidents of sacrilege took place in Faridkot in 2015. Bhagwant Mann’s government has also given permission to prosecute three national committee members of Dera, Pradeep Kaler, Harsh Dhuri and Sandeep Bareta. Let us tell you that Dhuri and Baretta are still absconding. Kaler was arrested earlier this year.
The move comes more than two and a half years after the Punjab Police Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by ADGP Surinder Pal Singh Parmar sought sanction to prosecute Ram Rahim under IPC section 295-A (outraging religious sentiments). Has been raised. Prosecuting anyone under Section 295-A of the IPC requires the approval of the state government.
Torn pages of a Bir (copy of Guru Granth Sahib) were found near the Gurudwara in Bargadi village. In FIR-117 registered on September 25, 2015, three derogatory posters were found pasted on walls near Gurudwaras in Bargadi and Burj Jawahar Singh Wala villages.
The order issued by the Home Department of the Punjab government said, “Pradeep Kler was arrested on February 16, 2024 and in his statement under section 164 of CrPC, Kler admitted that Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was responsible for all the incidents that happened during that period. Was involved in incidents of sacrilege.”
Home Ministry Secretary Gurkirat Kripal Singh said, “After inspecting the records including the report submitted under section 173 CrPC and statements under sections 161 and 164 CrPC, I am satisfied that a prima facie case is made out against the accused. But sanction is given to prosecute under sections 295-A and 120B of the IPC (joining in criminal conspiracy to commit offence).
Dera chief conspired to take revenge: SIT
In April 2022, almost seven years after the Bargari sacrilege incident, SIT chief ADGP SPS Parmar in his final report found no political involvement and concluded that the crime was committed as part of a conspiracy by Dera followers on the instructions of Ram Rahim to take revenge. Was. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had submitted the report to a leader of the Sikh community.
The SIT claimed that it was Ram Rahim who had ordered the sacrilege to avenge the insult to the sect’s followers by a Sikh preacher. The report said, “During a Diwan (religious gathering) on March 22, 2015, Sikh preacher Harjinder Singh Manjhi asked some Dera followers to take off their lockets or leave. Bittu accused Dera national committee members Sandeep Baretta, Pradeep This issue was raised with Kaler and Harsh Dhuri, who considered it an act of sacrilege and decided to take revenge. After this a conspiracy of sacrilege was hatched.”
