M A I N   N E W S

Fresh twist in Dera chief case
Megha Mann
Tribune News Service

The application submitted by the police has an “affidavit” of complainant Rajinder Singh Sidhu that states he had not seen the dera head dressed as Sri Guru Gobind Singh at his Salabatpura Dera and that he did not listen to the religious discourse given.

On the basis of this affidavit, the Kotwali police had moved an application seeking cancellation of the FIR. CJM Harjit Singh summoned Sidhu who told the court that he did not want the FIR to be cancelled. He also claimed that he did not give any such affidavit to the Bathinda police. His advocate Jatinder Roy Khattra claimed the affidavit police presented in court had not been attested. Sidhu added that after registering the FIR, police had forced him to sign a few blank papers.

The complainant Sidhu told the court today and that legal action should be taken against the dera chief. He also insisted that police should soon present challan in the case.

The next hearing has been fixed for February 11. Interestingly, the Bathinda police has not filed a challan in the court even after three years of registration of the FIR.

“The cancellation of the case was used as a bait to woo dera and ensure that dera votes are cast in SAD’s favour. However, on January 28, the dera secretly decided to support different candidates and did not come out openly on this subject. After the elections concluded and the Congress thanked dera for its support, the equations changed,” said sources.

The Flip-flop

• Three days before the Assembly elections, on January 27, the Bathinda police had filed an application in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Harjit Singh stating that the FIR against Gurmeet Ram Rahim be cancelled.
• An affidavit said to have been signed by complainant Rajinder Singh Sidhu accompanied the application.
• The complainant said on Saturday that he did not give the Bathinda police any such affidavit.

Case has died its own death: Dera

Dera Sacha Sauda spokesperson Ram Singh said the case has already died its own death. "Police was supposed to present challan in court within three years of registration of case. Four-years-and-a-half have passed, but there is no trace of challan," he said. He however refused to comment on the complainant Rajinder Singh Sidhu turning hostile, saying he has not yet seen the facts.