Dera Sacha Sauda violence: Arrest warrant issued against Vipassana

Dera followers had indulged in large-scale violence in Panchkula and Sirsa after the CBI court on August 25 convicted the sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh of rape.

Zee Media Bureau, India/January 9, 2018

Panchkula: A court here has issued arrest warrant againt Dera Sacha Sauda (Sirsa) chairman Vipassana Insan in connection with the violence in Panchkula and other places that left at least 41 people dead and 260 injured.

The court issued the warrant after Haryana special investigation team (SIT) had moved an application seeking arrest warrant for Vipassana.

Meanwhile, Vipassana Insan has gone into hiding.

Dera followers had indulged in large-scale violence in Panchkula and Sirsa after the CBI court on August 25 convicted the sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh of rape.

Ram Rahim has been sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of over Rs 30 lakh.

His rape conviction led to violence in Panchkula and Sirsa in Haryana, leaving 41 people dead and over 260 injured. Isolated incidents of violence were also reported from Delhi and several places in Punjab.The Haryana Police had sounded an international alert against all three.

Earlier, the Haryana Police had filed a chargesheet against Honeypreet, the closest aide of the rapist sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

The 979-page chargesheet filed by the police said that Honeypreet and several other sect functionaries and followers were booked on charges of sedition, inciting violence and criminal conspiracy.

Honeypreet, whose real name is Priyanka Taneja, was arrested on October 3 after remaining fugitive for 38 days after the August 25 violence.

Honeypreet`s ex-husband Vishwas Gupta had alleged illicit relations between her and the sect chief.The woman -- who has been claiming to be Ram Rahim`s "adopted daughter" -- starred as the lead heroine in five films he directed, produced and acted in over a period of three years.

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