Dera Sacha Sauda chief held, set free

Sirsa, July 31: A Punjab Police team today arrested and questioned Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in connection with the much-publicised criminal case against him for hurting religious sentiments of the Sikhs.

However the Dera chief was set free as he had obtained anticipatory bail from the Punjab and Haryana High Court till August six following registration of the case against him by Bhatinda police under section 295 A for allegedly imitating tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh. He had been directed by the High Court to join investigations.

A Dera follower Parkash Singh furnished a bond of Rs one lakh in connection with release of the Dera chief who handed over his passport to the police.

The Punjab Police team, led by Inspector H S Virk from Bathinda, reached the Dera this evening and questioned the Dera chief at his 'gufa' (personal chamber).

A 20-member Punjab Police team had arrived at Sirsa for the investigations this afternoon. However, only four of them, including Inspector Virk, visited the Dera accompanied by local SHO Ram Singh to question the Dera chief.

UNI