Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued non-bailable warrants against a Rohtak-based religious leader Rampal and one of his followers, after they failed to appear before it in a case of vandalism at Hisar court by his followers.
A Division Bench of Justices M Jeyapaul and Lisa Gill directed the Haryana's Home Secretary and DGP to ensure that Rampal and Rashtriya Samaj Seva Committee president Ram Kunwar Dhaka are present in the court on the next date of hearing on November 10.
Rampal is the head of 'Satlok Ashram' near Rohtak. Dhaka and members of his organisation and followers of Rampal had laid siege to the Hisar court premises three months ago during the trial of a case involving the sect leader.
When Rampal went to the court to appear in a 2006 murder case, his followers allegedly indulged in arson.
Later, the High Court had taken suo moto notice of the incident and summoned the sect leader.
Amicus curiae and senior advocate appointed by the court to assist in the case, Anupam Gupta, told reporters that the NBW has been issued against Rampal and Dhaka.
"The Haryana Home Secretary and the DGP have been directed to ensure that the warrants are executed and both these persons are arrested and produced before the court on November 10," Gupta said.
He said that three months ago Rampal was allowed to appear through video conferencing from Hisar while the trial of the main case is going on at Rohtak.
"At Hisar, Rampal's followers laid siege to the court complex," he said.
On the previous hearing in the case last month, Rampal through his counsel had sought exemption from appearance on medical grounds as he was suffering from "fever, diarrhea and back ache" then.
Today also, O P Hooda who appeared on his behalf said Rampal was suffering from conjunctivitis and was not in position to come, while Dhaka submitted a plea that he wanted to come but was not allowed by his followers.
"However, both these pleas were rejected by the court," he said.
