Sacha Sauda chief appears in CBI court

Ambala, Oct 4 (UNI) Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh today appeared before a special CBI court here in connection with two cases of murder and a rape case.

The dera chief, accompanied by a battery of over dozen lawyers, appeared before special CBI judge R K Saini at about 1030 hours.

The hearing was being conducted in-camera and the media was not allowed to enter the court.

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

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

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