The Punjab and Haryana High Courts on Thursday criticised the Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Raheem for taking Chandigarh and Sirsa hostage ahead of the ruling in a 14-year-old rape case against him.
This comes on the heels of court ruling against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Raheem Singh in a 14-year-old rape case.
The Punjab and Haryana High Courts on Thursday criticised the Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Raheem for taking Chandigarh and Sirsa hostage ahead of the ruling in a 14-year-old rape case against him.
The court also warned the police agaisnt failure in maintaining the law and order situation in the region like the 2015 Jat violence.
A total of 85 central companies along with thousands of policemen on the ground will maintain a tight vigil, especially in the vulnerable areas of Moga, Bathinda, Sangrur, Barnala, Patiala and Ludhiana, the spokesperson added.
The Chief Minister has asked the police officials to fan out across the sensitive districts to ensure that there is no disruption of the law and order in the state in view of the impending order.
Security has been tightened along the state's borders with Haryana, as well as the connecting roads to prevent any incursions, the spokesperson stated.
The Chief Minister has ordered senior officers to personally monitor the situation on the ground, with the DGP visiting the various sensitive districts to review the preparations ahead of the verdict in the sensitive case.
The police have seized five walkie-talkies from suspected Dera followers and are moving to identify the various locations suspected to be housing dangerous weapons of any kind.
Captain Amarinder Singh has meanwhile once again appealed to the people to maintain peace at all costs and not to get provoked by elements trying to disrupt the state's law and order.
The godman was accused with rape charges of a female devotee in 1999. The CBI took over the investigation in 2002. On 17 August, the special CBI court of Panchkula concluded hearing in the case but reserved pronouncing the verdict for 25 August.
For the August 17 hearing, Singh was recused from appearing in person at Panchkula by the court. The Dera chief had cited medical reasons for not attending court in person.
The case was registered by the CBI in 2002 against the self-styled godman after allegations of sexual exploitation of two women followers through anonymous letters.
The hearing has been going on since 2007.
With Agency Inputs