Dera chief gets interim bail in murder, rape cases

A Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court granted interim bail to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Baba Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh here today in connection with a rape and two murder cases.

Ambala, Oct .4 : A Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court granted interim bail to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Baba Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh here today in connection with a rape and two murder cases.

Baba Rahim is now likely to appeal before Sessions Court for a regular bail.

Special CBI Judge R N Bharti will hear the case on October 15.

Earlier, the court had issued a notice on August 31 after the Dera Sacha Sauda chief's defence counsel appeared before the court and informed it about the interim relief given to Singh by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The CBI had filed a chargesheet on July 31, accusing him of murdering sect manager, Ranjit Singh, and a Sirsa-based journalist, Ram Chander Chatterpatti, and for the alleged rape of a Sadhavi.

Two accused, Inder Sain and Avtar Singh were discharged in the Chatterpatti murder case on a defence plea that the duo had not been named as accused by the CBI in the chargesheet.

The court has summoned Singh and three others -- Kishan Lal, Kuldip Singh and Nirmal Singh who have been facing charges of conspiracy and murder.

Singh has been charged under Section 120-B (Conspiracy) in connection with the case relating to the murder of Ranjit Singh.

The other accused summoned in this case are Kishan Lal, Jasbir Singh, Sabdil, Avtar Singh and Inder Singh, booked under Section 302 (Murder).

Singh is the lone accused under Section 376 (Rape) in connection with the alleged rape of a Sadhavi.

On August 29, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had granted interim relief to the Dera chief and asked the trial court to adjourn the August 31 hearing in the three cases against him to any date after September 15, so that it could pronounce its order on his anticipatory bail plea in these cases.

Ram Raheem Singh name was in news after he reportedly wore the ensemble of Sikhs' Tenth Guru.

A case was also registered against him following a complaint by a Bathinda resident, who accused Singh of hurting the religious sentiments of Sikhs by donning the attire of the tenth Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh.

ANI