CHANDIGARH, Punjab—During a court hearing, the Punjab and Haryana High Court observed that similar to the case of Rampal who was arrested recently, the Sirsa-based Sacha Sauda cult also needs to be monitored periodically by the Haryana government and police. The Sacha Sauda cult has been in the news for awhile, for a number of illicit activities, however the cult has so far escaped any action by authorities.
While there are claims that the cult leader keeps illegal arms and other weapons within the dera, there are a number of alleged rape cases registered again him. Gurmeet Ram Rahim was also accused of carrying out the murder of some of his former associates, including his driver Ranjit Singh.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court observed that the Haryana Government had a duty to carry out search operations inside the cult’s headquarters to recover illegal arms and ammunition. The order has come after the police had a deadly confrontation while carrying out another court order. The court found that the existence of weapons inside the dera poses a challenge to the State.
“Gurmeet Ram Rahim of [cult] Sacha Sauda is facing two graver cases of murder punishable under Section 302 IPC, and one equally serious case of rape punishable under Section 376 IPC. [Gurmeet] had also chosen to bring thousands of followers to the premises of the Sessions Division where the sessions trial was originally taken up,” observed Justice Jeyapaul.
He further added that a “search of Dera to unearth illegal arms and ammunition, and monitoring its activities on periodic basis is the absolute need of the hour to avoid future bloody confrontation.”
