Punjab News: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has granted permission for the prosecution of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in connection with the 2015 sacrilege cases, just days after the Supreme Court revived the trial against him. The apex court, on Friday, cleared the way for the trial, vacating a stay imposed earlier by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Supreme Court Clears Path for Trial
A bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Vishwanathan acted on a plea from the Punjab government, vacating the High Court’s stay and directing Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh to submit a response. The court is set to review the case again in four weeks, following the Punjab Advocate General Gurminder Singh’s request to lift the stay that had halted the trial in three cases registered at the Bajakhana Police Station in Faridkot, Punjab. Recognising the need for further scrutiny, the Supreme Court issued a notice to Ram Rahim.
Prosecution Reignited After Transfer of Trial
In February 2023, the Supreme Court transferred the trial from a court in Faridkot to Chandigarh, ensuring a neutral venue. The revived case is linked to incidents of sacrilege in Punjab in 2015 that stirred widespread outrage.
Ram Rahim’s Existing Convictions
Currently imprisoned in Rohtak’s Sunaria Jail, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is already serving a 20-year sentence after being convicted in 2017 for raping two of his female disciples. In 2019, he was further convicted, along with three others, in the murder of a journalist, a crime that occurred over 16 years ago.
With the renewed trial in the sacrilege cases, the legal battles surrounding the controversial Dera chief continue to intensify.
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