Ram Rahim Case Round Up: What unfolded till Monday

Finally, the so called Godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was on Monday sentenced to ten years in prison in two cases each.

The sentenced was announced after court found him guilty of raping two women in a 2002 case.

The verdict against 50-year-old 'Guru of Bling' was pronounced in a special hearing inside a prison in Rohtak city, about 70 kilometres from New Delhi by a special CBI judge who was flown to Rohtak's Sunaria jail in a helicopter.

Apart from sentencing 10-years in prison, the CBI court also slapped a fine of Rs 65,000 on Ram Rahim Singh.

Here is a roundup of the whole event which unfolded on Monday.

Immediately after Ram Rahim Singh was sentenced to ten years of imprisonment each in two cases by the Special CBI Court, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar called for an emergency meeting at his residence to review the situation.

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh appealed for peace and said that the sentence must be accepted by all.

"So there is nothing for us to say rather than to say the people to accept the decision. There is total normalcy. Our forces are on their toes. We will not let any untoward incident happen. This sentence must be accepted by the people and peace must prevail," Singh told ANI.

K.T.S. Tulsi

Senior advocate K.T.S. Tulsi backed the verdict against the Dera Sacha Sauda chief and said that grave actions demand an equally hard sentence was sentenced to ten years of imprisonment.

"This is a judgment on expected lines. The maximum sentence has been given. Grave actions require the maximum sentence," Tulsi said, while speaking to ANI.

Tulsi added that the Dera chief can appeal in the High Court for acquittal.

"The facts are shocking, especially from a person considered to be a spiritual Guru. This behaviour towards his disciples is shocking," he added.

Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev

Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev said that 20-years sentence to Dera Sacha Sauda chief by a Special CBI judge is an example that no one can escape the law. Ramdev said that it will set an example to people that no matter how powerful a person is, he cannot escape the court or the law.

"In the name of religion, irreligious activities should not take place. Justice can be delayed, but it cannot be denied. And, our judicial system has become so strong that no one can escape after committing a crime. The court has set an example on this. Powerful people can and should also take a lesson from this and refrain from committing sins. If you are convicted, then face the punishment," he added.

Anshul Chhatrapati

Anshul Chhatrapati, son of journalist Ramchandra Chhatrapati, who was killed for exposing the Dera Sacha Sauda chief; expressed satisfaction over the judgement.

Talking to ANI, Anshul said, "The verdict of the court is satisfactory. We have been saying since long that this man (Ram Rahim Singh) is enemy of our society and doing such heinous crime. We are happy that the judicial system has put a stamp that this man is guilty."

Anshul's father, Ramchandra Chhatrapati, a journalist from Sirsa, was the first to publish the anonymous complaint of one of the female followers of Ram Rahim Singh.

Bharatiya Janata Party

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has backed the CBI court's sentence on Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and urged everyone to accept the decision made by the court.

Haryana in-charge of BJP, Anil Jain said, "The Court has come up with a decision and the decision by the court must be accepted by everyone around."

Speaking on claims of the convicted self-styled godman being a politician, he said that such generalizations are unfair towards the politicians.

"People who have 5-6 crore followers can be politicians but it is wrong to generalize them as politicians," he said.

Court Verdict

Ram Rahim was convicted with the charges of rape on Friday (August 25, 2017) by the Special CBI Court.

The Special CBI judge Jagdeep Singh had allotted 10 minutes each to both sides to put forth their arguments. The prosecution, reportedly, had demanded the maximum punishment for the rape convict.

The Defence had argued that Ram Rahim was a social worker, who had worked for the welfare of people, so the judge should take a lenient view.

The Background of Case

The rape case was registered by the CBI in April 2002 against the self-styled godman after allegations of sexual exploitation of two women followers.

The then prime minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had received an anonymous letter from a Dera Sadhvi that she was being raped by Ram Rahim Singh.

Following Ram Rahim's conviction on Friday, his 'bhakts' went on a rampage in Haryana's Panchkula and Sirsa, demanding justice for their leader and Punjab, Haryana and their neighbouring states have, since, been on the edge.

On Saturday, at least 38 people died when violent protests erupted in the Haryana immediately after the self-styled 'godman' was found guilty of raping the two women in 2002, drawing sharp criticism for the state government.

High Security

Just minutes before the pronouncement of the sentence, two cars were reportedly torched by the Dera Sacha Sauda supporters in the Phoolka area of Haryana's Sirsa.

This happened when the state Police took no chances on the day of his sentencing on Monday. Entire district of Rohtak was placed under multi-layered security; 28 companies of paramilitary troops had been stationed in the town and Dera followers were not allowed to enter the district.

Thousands of riot police were seen deployed on the streets, closing schools and shutting down internet services in two northern states of Punjab and Haryana.

The Haryana police claimed they have made sufficient security arrangements to ensure peace and harmony.

In many areas saw security forces seen carrying out flag marches and kept high vigil in all sensitive areas.

Police were also on high alert in all other adjoining districts of Haryana, and neighbouring areas of Punjab and UP. Section 144 already in place in some districts of Haryana and curfew still continues in Sirsa.

Curfew in Barnala Tomorrow

A curfew will be imposed in Punjab's Barnala district from tomorrow to avoid any violence by Dera followers. Harjeet Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Barnala on Monday said that the curfew will be imposed from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. tomorrow. Earlier, the security forces carried out a flag march in Barnala after the sentencing.

"Environment is peaceful after the announcement of sentence and adequate security arrangements have been given therefore no untoward incident will happen," Barnala SP Swarn Singh told ANI.

Mobile - Internet suspended in Haryana and Punjab

In Haryana and Punjab, Mobile and Internet services will remain suspended till 11:30 am on Tuesday as a precautionary measure. Internet lease lines on the premises of the Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters at Sirsa will also be suspended till then, district officials have announced.

Followers of Dera Sacha Sauda in Haryana had burned down gas stations, Railway stations and torched vehicles after Dera Sacha Sauda chief Ram Rahim was announced guilty of rape by the special CBI court in Panchkula on Friday.

Around 20,000 Dera followers were present in the Rohtak district. All Dera offices were sealed and check posts were set up at almost every major traffic intersection to avoid any repetition of Saturday violence after the court's verdict by Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's followers.

High Alert in UP

The police in Uttar Pradesh have increased the level of security in the state as 12 districts of the state have as many as 18 Dera ashrams. In addition to it, ten companies of PAC have been assigned to look over the security of eight districts in NCR.

Delhi - Cool and Calm

Delhi Police, on its part, however rubbished reports of traffic divergence and shutting of schools.

Twitter followers of Gurmeet Ram Rahim

Singh, the leader of a religious cult 'Dera Sacha Sauda' boasts 3.74 million followers on his verified Twitter profile, which -also describes him as a saint, philanthropist, sportsman, actor, singer, movie director, writer, lyricist, and auto biographer.

Last year the Haryana State Government had given five million Indian rupees to Dera to promote sports, according to media reports.

Dera Sacha Sauda leader, who has been seen dresses in plain white traditional clothes, gives sermons and plants trees in his role as sect leader, claims to have about 50 million followers.

Singh has appeared in several films wearing a bejewelled costume, fighting off villains and tossing burning motorbikes into the air.

Generally, Dera campaigns for vegetarianism, against drug addiction, and takes up social causes such as organising weddings for poor couples.

But with the ability to mobilise such swathes of people, Dera has also been involved in political campaigns.

Drama in Court

Singh was not cooperating with security personnel and was seen holding his chair, howling, in high-voltage drama in the court room after the pronouncement of the verdict against him. When Singh kept bawling outside the court, security personnel warned him that if he doesn't follow the rules, he will be taken inside the jail forcefully.

In tears

In the courtroom, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was seen in tears pleading the judge with folded hands for leniency.

Singh sat on the floor outside courtroom; cops drag him away after he refuses to follow the rules.

Rohtak was turned into a fortress

Rohtak was turned into a fortress by paramilitary forces and the Haryana Police. The Army was kept on standby. Navdeep Singh Virk, IGP Rohtak Range was quoted as saying that no Dera follower has been allowed to enter Rohtak district or around the jail. Barbed wire barriers are in place and residents have been asked to stay indoors in Rohtak.

A BSF battalion was ordered to enter Rohtak jail premises, as the defence counsel has made a request to change the prison of Singh.

Singh's daughter Vipassana Insan appealed Dera supporters to maintain peace.

There was anxious silence inside courtroom as CBI court judge Jagdeep Singh begin to pin down the quantum of sentencing order in Singh's rape case.

After hearing both sides, the judge orders closing of the arguments in Singh's conviction hearing.

"There are 45 other victims, who have not been able to come forward. The victims were raped for three years," said CBI lawyer in concluding argument.

The defence argued that Singh is a social worker, who has worked for welfare of not only the community but also women, by getting women from financially weak families married without dowry.

Total 9 people, including rape convict Singh, were present in the courtroom. The prosecution demanded maximum punishment for Singh.

Justice Jagdeep Singh landed in Rohtak in a chopper with his two member team.