Supreme Court rejects Dera's plea for security cover

New Delhi, June 4: The Supreme Court today declined to entertain a petition filed by Dera Sacha Sauda vice president and a PIL, seeking protection for Deras, on the ground that the Punjab and Haryana High Court was monitoring the case.

A vacation bench comprising Justices Arijit Pasayat and D K Jain told the petitioners that it was for the state government to maintain law and order, and the Court cannot interfere in it.

The Apex Court ordered Dera vice president Abhijeet Bhagat and others along with the lawyer Harvinder Kaur to withdraw their petitions.

The Court, however, granted liberty to Dera Sacha Sauda vice President to approach appropriate authorities, if so advised for any relief in the matter.

Earler senior counsel Rajiv Dhavan, appearing for Dera, contended that he would like to approach the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

One Harvinder Kaur, who filed the Public Interest Litigation was taken to task by the Apex Court for filing a misconcieved petition saying that the Court cannot direct the authorities where to deploy BSF (Border Security Force) and where to deploy army.

It is for the authorities to decide how to deploy security forces to maintain law and order, the court added.

Trouble started when posters of Dera Chief Gurmit Ram Rahim appeared in Punjab showing him in the attire of Guru Gobind Singh to which the Sikh religious leaders strongly objected and gave ultimatum to the Dera Sacha Sauda Chief and his followers to vacate all Deras in the state latest by May 27.

UNI

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