CHANDIGARH: Rohtak town turns into battle ground as thousands of soldiers are guarding a prison in Haryana, where, later this morning, a judge will arrive on a government helicopter to sentence Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for raping two women devotees in 2002.
LIVE UPDATE
- CBI court sentences Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh to 10 years in jail for rape.
- Baba breaks down. With folded hands, pleads the judge for leniency.
- “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, reports news agency CNN News18.
- Arguments of both sides are concluded, sentencing anytime now.
- Defence argues Ram Rahim Singh is a social worker who has worked for welfare of people, so judge should take a lenient view.
- Prosecution demanded the maximum punishment of life sentence for rape convict Ram Rahim.
- CBI court judge allows only 10 minutes to each side, to present to put forth their arguments, reports news agency CNN News18.
- CBI court judge Jagdeep Singh enters makeshift court in Rohtak Jail. Counsels from both sides already present. Hearing begins.
- The trio headed towards the court and proceedings likely to begin soon.
- Chopper of Justice Jagdeep Singh and his team lands in Rohtak, ahead of the hearing for the rape convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s sentence hearing.
- “We will appeal to the court to consider his age. We will also appeal for minimum punishment. There are many grounds to be put forward. Let’s hope for the best,” says Narwana, Ram Rahim’s lawyer.
- Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh ‘s lawyer SK Narwana reaches Rohtak Jail library, which has been turned into a makeshift court ahead of quantum of sentence hearing.
- CBI judge Jagdeep Singh’ chopper is expected to arrive in Rohtak shortly.
- Security upped in and around Rohtak’s Sunaria jail, ahead of sentencing of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.
- Spl CBI judge Jagdeep Singh leaves from Panchkula, expected to reach Rohtak within 40 min. Court proceedings at Sonaria jail to begin at 2:30.
- To Sentence Ram Rahim, Judge To Land In Chopper At 11.30 am.
- An uneasy calm prevailed on Monday in Haryana and Punjab where curfew was relaxed at some places that were hit by violence in the aftermath of the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a rape case on Friday, August 25.
- There has been no report of any violence in Haryana since Saturday even as security forces remained on alert, a day before the Dera chief’s quantum of sentence will be decided.
- Ahead of today’s verdict, the deputy commissioner of Rohtak has said that those creating trouble should expect bullets if they defy warnings.
- On the other hand, A special courtroom has been set up in Rohtak’s Sunaria Jail, where Ram Rahim has been lodged since his rape-conviction. The Special CBI court judge Jagdeep Singh, who delivered the guilty verdict in the 2002 rape case against the Dera chief on Friday, will be flown in by a special helicopter for the sentencing.
- In Sirsa, the exodus of Dera followers from the sect’s headquarters, which began Saturday, continued yesterday with the district administration providing buses to facilitate their departure. The Haryana Roadways deployed over 50 buses for transporting the followers.
- However, according to the police, roughly 5,000 followers were still inside the headquarters and the security forces had been appealing to them for vacating the place.
- In neighbouring Delhi, Police on Sunday had dismissed the rumours of schools being shut today.
- However, the national capital has been put on high alert and the police have heightened vigil.
- Madhur Verma, Delhi Police’s Public Relations Officer, said additional forces have been deployed in sensitive areas and senior officers are keeping a tight vigil.
- Extra measures like deployment of Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) teams and reserve forces were taken. Flag marches were conducted in some areas, including northeast Delhi, police said.