Chandigarh, March 17 — A Chandigarh court has acquitted six Dera Sacha Sauda followers accused of planning violence in the city following the conviction of Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in Panchkula in 2017. The prosecution failed to prove the charges against them, leading to their release.
The accused—Maninder Singh, Ranjit Kumar, Dharminder, Krishan Pal, Anup Singh, and Sukhwinder Singh—were arrested on August 25, 2017, after police claimed they attempted to enter Chandigarh forcibly with weapons. An FIR was registered at the Manimajra police station under various sections of the IPC and the Arms Act based on a complaint by SI Rohit.
That day, police had set up checkpoints at Mansa Devi Road, Dhillon Barrier, and Housing Board light point to prevent unrest during Ram Rahim’s court appearance in Panchkula.
Following his conviction, the six men, allegedly dressed as private security guards, were stopped in a Gypsy vehicle. A search reportedly led to the recovery of a 7.65-mm pistol, 25 live cartridges, and iron rods.
However, defense counsel Harish Bhardwaj argued that his clients were falsely implicated, citing a lack of independent witnesses and procedural lapses in the Arms Act charges. The prosecution alleged the accused were part of a conspiracy to incite violence, but the court ruled in favor of acquittal.
“The police failed to provide sufficient evidence to link the accused to any rioting or unlawful activity,” Bhardwaj said.
The verdict raises questions about the investigation and prosecution’s handling of the case. Similar cases in the past have also resulted in acquittals due to insufficient evidence.
