CBI COURT BEGINS HEARING IN DERA CASE
Ambala May 11:
A CBI court began hearing arguments for framing of charges against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for involvement in two murders and for sexually harassing a woman disciple in Sirsa.
The CBI had filed chargesheets against Singh and others for the murder of Sirsa journalist Ram Chander Chatterpatti and Dera manager Ranjeet Singh, and sexual harassment of a 'sadhvi' in 2002. Prosecuting counsel read out statements of two sadhvis Sarveejan Kaur and Sapna in the court of CBI special judge R K Saini that they were sexually exploited by the Dera head.
An anonymous letter purportedly sent to then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee detailing the sexual harassment of the sadhvis was also discussed during the arguments. The counsel of Chatterpatti's son argued in support of the CBI chargesheet that Nirmal Singh, Kuldip Singh and the Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh were involved in the journalist's murder.
CBI lawyers H P S Verma and Umreesh Gandhi claimed there was sufficient evidence to prosecute and frame charges against the Dera chief for the sexual harassment case and murder of Ranjit Singh in Kurukshetra on October 10, 2002. The statement of Khatta Singh, former driver of Gurmeet Ram Rahim, in which he has made several allegation against the Dera head was also read out in court.
The Dera chief arrived in town with a convoy of some 50 vehicles and was present in the special CBI court here for around two hours. He has contested the CBI chargesheets and petitioned the Punjab and Haryana High Court for quashing of the FIRs against him.
Ambala May 11:
A CBI court began hearing arguments for framing of charges against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for involvement in two murders and for sexually harassing a woman disciple in Sirsa.
The CBI had filed chargesheets against Singh and others for the murder of Sirsa journalist Ram Chander Chatterpatti and Dera manager Ranjeet Singh, and sexual harassment of a 'sadhvi' in 2002. Prosecuting counsel read out statements of two sadhvis Sarveejan Kaur and Sapna in the court of CBI special judge R K Saini that they were sexually exploited by the Dera head.
An anonymous letter purportedly sent to then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee detailing the sexual harassment of the sadhvis was also discussed during the arguments. The counsel of Chatterpatti's son argued in support of the CBI chargesheet that Nirmal Singh, Kuldip Singh and the Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh were involved in the journalist's murder.
CBI lawyers H P S Verma and Umreesh Gandhi claimed there was sufficient evidence to prosecute and frame charges against the Dera chief for the sexual harassment case and murder of Ranjit Singh in Kurukshetra on October 10, 2002. The statement of Khatta Singh, former driver of Gurmeet Ram Rahim, in which he has made several allegation against the Dera head was also read out in court.
The Dera chief arrived in town with a convoy of some 50 vehicles and was present in the special CBI court here for around two hours. He has contested the CBI chargesheets and petitioned the Punjab and Haryana High Court for quashing of the FIRs against him.
