Dera chief gets interim bail

Ambala, Oct 4 (UNI) CBI special judge R K Saini today granted interim bail to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh in connection with two cases of murder and a rape case.

The dera chief had applied for regular bail in these cases but the judge granted him interim bail till October 15.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court had directed him to appear before the trial court for grant of regular bail.

The dera chief was granted bail on surety of three bonds of Rupees five lakh each.

Singh accompanied by a battery of over dozen lawyers, appeared before the special CBI judge at about 1030 hours. The hearing in the special CBI court was conducted in camera and media was not allowed to enter inside the court.

Meanwhile, Police had made elaborate security arrangements around the court complex and the city as thousands of dera followers had converged here in support of their chief. Prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC had been imposed in the court complex area.

The CBI had filed three chargesheets against the dera chief in connection with the murder of Sirsa based journalist Ram Chandra Chhatrapati and dera manager Ranjit Singh and a case relating to sexual harassment of sadhvis in the dera.

UNI