Rampal to be produced before High Court today

Mangalore Today News Network

Chandigarh, Nov 28, 2014( PTI):  Tight security arrangements have been made in Chandigarh as self-styled godman Sant Rampal is scheduled to be produced before Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday in a contempt case.

The High Court had cancelled the bail of Rampal in a 2006 murder case on November 20 and directed the Haryana Police to produce him on November 28.

The division bench comprising Justice M. Jeyapaul and Justice Darshan Singh had posted the matter for hearing on November 28 with a direction to Haryana Police chief to file an affidavit giving details of the operation carried out to arrest Rampal from his ashram in Barwala in Haryana’s Hisar district along with damage, injuries to people, regarding arms and ammunition in the ashram and loss of property.

The 63-year-old Rampal, against whom the High Court had issued non-bailable warrant in the contempt case, had failed to appear before it on three dates — November 5, 10 and 17.

He had been evading appearance claiming to be “not well”. The court had suo motu taken up the issue of cancellation of bail on November 10 when Rampal failed to appear in the contempt case.

He was arrested by Haryana Police on November 19 from his 12-acre Satlok Ashram at Barwala in Hisar.

The godman was produced before the High Court on November 20. He was later remanded to a five-day police custody by a local court after fresh cases were slapped on him which was extended by six days.

So far, more than 900 followers of Rampal have been arrested on various charges.

During the standoff between Rampal’s followers and the police, five women and a child had died, while more than 200 people were injured in the clashes.

Besides sedition and other charges, fresh FIRs including that of murder were also registered against him.