Punjab govt approves prosecution of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Ram Rahim in sacrilege cases

The cases pertain to incidents involving the alleged desecration of religious texts, which sparked significant violence and protests in Punjab in 2015.

The Punjab government on Tuesday allowed Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh to be prosecuted in three sacrilege cases since 2015. The cases, which involved the theft and desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib, triggered widespread protests and violent clashes in Punjab and killed two protesters in police gunfire. Now, these allegations are paving the way for Ram Rahim’s trial.

The development follows the Supreme Court’s recent decision to vacate the time limit after the Punjab and Haryana High Court had earlier heard the Ram Rahim trial. The order came after the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government filed a petition seeking the continuation of the legal proceedings.

Prosecution to include Dera committee members

Apart from Ram Rahim, the Punjab government has also agreed to prosecute three key members of the Dera Sacha Sauda’s national committee: Pardeep Kler, Harsh Dhuri and Sandeep Bareta

The 2015 sacrilege incidents in Faridkot district began with the theft of a Guru Granth Sahib from the Gurdwara in Bargari. Days later, torn pages of the Holy Book were found in the area, sparking protests that turned violent. Two persons were killed in police firing during the demonstrations in Behbal Kalan and several others were injured in Kotkapura.

SIT indicts Ram Rahim in sacrilege conspiracy

In July 2022, a Special Investigation Team led by ADGP Surinderpal Singh Parmar identified Gurmeet Ram Rahim as one of the prime conspirators in a sacrilege case registered under Section 295 of the Indian Penal Code (hurting religious sentiments), require government approval for prosecution, which has now been granted.

Ram Rahim, who is already serving a 20-year sentence after being convicted of murder and rape, is currently incarcerated at Sunaria jail in Rohtak. He has been granted parole multiple times, often coinciding with election periods.

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