Dera Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim told to appear in Bathinda court on Aug 8

Bathinda, Punjab (May 24, 2014): Controversial self-styled godman and Sirsa-based Dera Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim has reportedly been directed to appear in a Bathinda court on August 8 in a case relating to hurting of religious sentiments of the Sikhs. The case relates to the Salabatpura incident and dates back to May 2007, but there has been no significant development in this case for last seven years.

The Punjab government and the police have been trying to save dera head in this case, with police already filing closure report in this case. The case alive due to efforts of some Sikh activists, including Advocate Jaspal Singh Manjhpur and Baba Hardeep Singh Mehraj, who have joined this case as additional complainants.

Dera Sauda Sirsa chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim [File Photo]

The orders directing the dera head to appear in the court were reportedly issued on May 21 by Chief Judicial Magistrate Raman Kumarin the presence of Sikh activists and Dera ‘premis’ amidst tight security.

A case was registered against Ram Rahim Singh in wake of his attempt to personify himself as Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji at a congregation in Dera Salabatpura in Bathinda in May 2007.

The court had passed similar orders two years ago as well. The Dera head, however, had then moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He had maintained that he could not be summoned to the court as the police had failed to present its ‘challan’ within three years of the registration of the case.

The case was registered under Sections 295-A, 298 IPC and 153-A of the IPC. The complainants, Baba Hardeep Singh and Rajinder Sidhu, however, had contended that under sub-sections of Section 153-A, a person could be summoned till five years. The Dera head’s lawyers said they would approach a higher court against the summons.