Already undergoing 20-year sentence for rape and life imprisonment for murdering a journalist, the self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has been named as one of the accused in the theft case of Sikh holy book, Sri Guru Granth Sahib, reported in June 2015.
Punjab Police’s Special Investigating Team (SIT) on Monday produced the challan (chargesheet) in the court of Faridkot Judicial Magistrate (First Class), naming Dera Sacha Sauda sect head as one of the accused in the four years old case.
Notably, a “bir” of Guru Granth Sahib was stolen from a gurdwara at Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village of Faridkot on June 1, 2015, and on October 12, the torn pages of the “bir” were found scattered near a gurdwara at Bargari, followed by an incident of police firing wherein two protesters were killed. The developments were followed by a chain of sacrilege incidents across the State.
Only recently, the SIT has recently arrested seven Dera followers in connection with the theft case, and Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s name was cropped up in their interrogation.
Sharing the details, DIG Ranbir Singh Khatra, who is heading the SIT, said that the police have filed the charge sheet against 11 persons including Gurmeet Ram Rahim for stealing the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Apart from Gurmeet Ram Rahim, the police have accused the several committee members of Dera Sirsa of conspiring the theft to create law and order situation in the State.
It was alleged that under a conspiracy, Dera’s national committee had directed the block committee to execute the sacrilege acts in retaliation as some Dera followers at Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village had removed their “sacred” threads and lockets (given to them by the Dera) allegedly under persuasion of a Sikh preacher.