March 3, 2014 | By Sikh Siyasat Bureau
Panchkula (March 3, 2014): As per media reports Gurmeet Ram Rahim, a self-styled godman and head of Sirsa based controversial Dera, who has been facing criminal charges including rape, abduction, murder and sexual exploitation of Sadhvis, has submitted a list of 98 defence witnessed in a CBI court. On Saturday (March 01) the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the prosecuting agency, opposed the list of 98 defence witnesses put forth by Dera Gurmeet Ram Rahim terming it as a delay tectic.
“It is a tactic to delay the judgment of the court in the case. It is a long list of 98 witnesses. Our submission was that the long list of defence witnesses was produced so that the judgment does not come in the near future,” said HPS Verma, counsel for CBI in the case.
“The CBI has taken close to seven years in recording a few witnesses. On the other hand, if we take close to five months more in recording our defence witnesses, what is the big deal,” SK Garg Narwana, counsel for Ram Rahim reportedly argued in the court.
There are two rape victims in this case. The prosecution has closed its evidence and both the victims stood by their allegations of rape against Ram Rahim.
Notably on February 11, 2014 Ram Rahim’s statement was recorded under Section 313 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Cr. P. C.) wherein he was put to questioning on evidence against him.
In his statement, he had refuted the allegations of rape and claimed, “Since 1990, I am not medically or physically fit to have sex. I am not potent.”
In 2002, anonymous letters addressed to then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and chief justice of Punjab and Haryana high court were circulated, alleging sexual exploitation of female followers at Dera Sacha Sauda in Sirsa. On September 24, 2002, justice Adarsh Kumar Goel had handed over the case to the CBI.
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Related Topics: Dera Sauda Sirsa, DSS, Gurmeet Ram Rahim