ROHTAK: A shoot-to-kill order, curfew and a massive deployment of police kept protesters at bay as an Indian special court judge on Monday sentenced a self-styled “godman” convicted of rape to 20 years in prison.
A spokesman for India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which investigated the case, said late on Monday that Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh would serve two consecutive 10-year-terms for the two rape convictions. Media had earlier quoted government officials and lawyers as saying that the twin sentencing would run concurrently for 10 years.
Utsav Singh Bains, lawyer for the victims, said he would seek a longer sentence and asked the CBI to investigate dozens more alleged cases of abuse. “We will file two appeals shortly. One for enhancement of the punishment and another for further investigation into the case,” Bains said. “We believe there are at least 48 more victims who were sexually abused and who may have been killed or are too scared to come out and testify against Ram Rahim.”
Tens of thousands of police enforced a lockdown in large parts of the northern states of Haryana and Punjab where Singh, 50, has a mass following. Police in Haryana issued orders to shoot protesters on sight ahead of the sentencing and ordered the hearing to be carried out inside the prison where Singh was being held.
Mob rampage
Hundreds of Singh’s followers went on the rampage when he was convicted on Friday, attacking train stations, buses and television vans.
At least 38 people were killed and more than 200 injured, triggering criticism that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which also governs the state of Haryana, was either unable or unwilling to act against Singh’s followers.
The case dates back to 2002 when two women followers accused Singh of rape at the headquarters of his Dera Sacha Sauda organisation in Sirsa. Singh’s lawyer said his client was innocent and would appeal. Singh broke down after the sentence was passed and refused to move out of the court room.
V. Umashankar, a special commissioner in Haryana, said a curfew was in force in the town of Sirsa and parts of Rohtak. Nirmaljit Singh Kalsi, an official in neighbouring Punjab state, said paramilitary forces were patrolling public places to maintain order. “We will not withdraw forces today...the situation can easily go out of hand even now,” said Kalsi.
Dark history of the ‘guru of bling’
Self-styled “godman” Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh inspired extraordinary devotion in India, where huge crowds flocked to hear his teachings — even after he was accused of rape in a high-profile case that ended in conviction.
Singh counted film stars, cricketers and politicians among his legions of supporters.
But the most devoted were the vast numbers of ordinary Indians, many of them poor, who flocked to the sprawling headquarters of his controversial sect in the northern Indian state of Haryana to hear his teachings.
There, delirious devotees were said to weep with joy and fall at his feet for blessings.
They called Singh “pita-ji”, or “revered father”, and said his message of living simply and eschewing meat and alcohol had changed their lives.
That Singh’s own life was far from simple did not seem to matter.
The extravagantly bearded 50-year-old was dubbed the “guru of bling” for his flamboyant wardrobe, which included trousers emblazoned with sequins.
He travelled in a convoy of sport utility vehicles (SUVs), starred in pop videos and even launched his own Messenger of God movie franchise in which he performed miracles, preached to thousands and beat up gangsters — all while singing and dancing.
In the latest movie, MSG — The Warrior Lion Heart, he played a secret agent fighting aliens and UFOs.
It spawned a line of merchandise including T-shirts, caps and other insignia emblazoned with Singh’s face.
But the razzamatazz of his show business career concealed a darker side to Singh’s story.
Despite the charges he faced, he was courted by Indian politicians eager to win his support — and by extension that of his many followers.
Recent images showed Singh taking part in a cleanliness drive with the Haryana chief minister, who has been criticised for failing to prevent his supporters from going on a violent rampage after his conviction on Friday.
Police say at least 38 supporters of Singh’s Dera Sacha Sauda sect were killed in the rioting that broke out minutes after the verdict was announced.
By then Singh himself had been whisked off in a government helicopter, accompanied by his adopted daughter, and taken to a jail in the city of Rohtak.
He had been chosen to head the Dera Sacha Sauda — a controversial sect that describes itself as pan-religious and has angered Sikhs and Hindus — as a child and formally took on the role when he was 23.
Despite his larger-than-life public persona, little is known about Singh’s personal life.
According to his website, he was born on August 15, 1967, the only child of wealthy parents in western Rajasthan.
“Soon, his parents realised that he wasn’t merely a child but the image of the lord. And thus, they never hurt him physically or verbally,” says his profile.
Singh is married and has two daughters and a son.
In 2009 he adopted one of his female followers, Honeypreet Insan, who reportedly calls herself “papa’s angel” and is thought to be his intended successor.
He has sought to portray himself as a social reformer.
SK Garg Narwana: Lawyer to the gurus
Senior advocate at Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) SK Garg Narwana appears to be the go-to counsel for controversial godmen in India. He is defence counsel for not only Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh but also Rampal Maharaj who is languishing in Hisar Central Jail since November 2014.
Rampal is a religious leader of Kabir panth, often described as a self-styled godman. He is the founder of Satlok Ashram, a socio-spiritual movement popular in Haryana.
After Ram Rahim’s conviction in a rape case on Monday, Narwana was seen preparing to move an appeal in HC. He is the defence counsel for the Dera chief in four other criminal cases including the infamous disciple castration case, the murder of a journalist, and the murder of one of the dera sadhvi’s (female disciple) brother.
Likewise, self-styled godman Sant Asaram’s son Narayan Sai also recently approached Narwana to file a bail application in a sexual assault case.
When Narwana moved to High Court at Chandigarh in 1995 after handling civil suits and criminal trials before the subordinate courts, nobody could have guessed that the 1982-batch law graduate from Kurukshetra University would go on to become Haryana’s Additional Advocate-General, and later a star lawyer.
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Sentencing in the rape case involving controversial Indian guru Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was held in a Rohtak court. Follow the events as it happened:
2.10pm
Ram Rahim Singh to get jail uniform, cell
Medical examination of Ram Rahim Singh is being done. After that, he will be given a jail uniform and will be allotted a cell in jail, reports ANI
Earlier, a 20-year jail sentence was handed over to self-styled 'godman', whose followers went on a deadly rampage after he was convicted of rape on Friday.
"The court has ordered 20-year jail term for the accused," Ram Niwas, senior bureaucrat in charge of law and order in Haryana, told Reuters.
2.03pm
Ram Rahim Singh gets 20 years in jail
Rape convict #RamRahimSingh sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment, media reports from Rhotak jail say.
#Haryana: Media persons & security deployment near Rohtak's Sunaria Jail; rape convict #RamRahimSingh sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment. pic.twitter.com/t8X7urDvPg
— ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2017
2.00pm
Dera chairperson appeals for calm
Vipassana Insaan, Dera chairperson has appealed to followers for calm and to peacefully abide by the judgement.
I appeal to Dera followers to peacefully abide by the judgement today: Vipassana Insaan,Dera chairperson #RamRahimSingh pic.twitter.com/BjZSH1Gpoa
— ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2017
1.56pm
Cars torched in Sirsa
As sentencing in the case is expected any moment, two cars were torched by Dera Sacha Sauda supporters in Phoolka area of Haryana's Sirsa, reports say.
1.25pm
Arguments concluded. Sentencing to be pronounced any time now. CBI demands maximum sentence; defence seeks leniency on account of his social work
1.20pm
He is a social worker: Defense
Defence argues #GurmeetRamRahimSingh is a social worker who has worked for welfare of people, requests judge to take a lenient view, reports ANI.
1.15pm
Prosecution demand maximum punishment for rape convict #GurmeetRamRahimSingh
1.10pm
10 minutes given for final arguments
Special judge allots 10 minutes each to both sides for their final arguments.
#UPDATE: Special CBI judge Jagdeep Singh has allotted 10 minutes each to both sides to put forth their arguments #RamRahimSingh #Haryana
— ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2017
12.50pm
#Haryana Special CBI judge Jagdeep Singh reaches Rohtak's Sonaria jail for quantum of sentence hearing of #RamRahimSingh pic.twitter.com/W0SxM40abn
— ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2017
12.45pm
Judge arrives in a chopper at jail
#GurmeetRamRahimSingh Sentencing: CBI judge Jagdeep Singh reaches makeshift court in Rohtak's jail
12.40pm
Ram Rahim Singh's lawyer reachers court
#GurmeetRamRahimSingh 's lawyer SK Narwana reaches makeshift court in Rohtak Jail ahead of quantum of sentence hearing
— ANI (@ANI) 28 August 2017
12.35pm
Media barred getting closer
Except media, outsiders are not allowed near the jail premises. Additionally, mobile internet has also been banned. Reports from the site says even the media is stopped 1.5km away from the jail.
12.32pm
Rohtak turns into a fortress
Rohtak, Haryana: Shoot at sight orders were in place in Haryana's Rohtak on Monday where Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is to be sentenced in a 2002 rape case.
Rohtak Inspector General of Police Navdeep Singh Virk said measures were in place to ensure no crowd gathered near the jail.
He said if someone tries to disrupt peace, or fire at the police, they would be fired at.
"We are watching the situation. If anything untoward happens, action will be taken. Everyone knows Section 144 (of the CrPC) is in place. If anyone tries to break the law, if they fire at us, or try to enter the site despite the curfew, they will be shot at," Virk said.
He said over 100 Dera members have been taken into preventive custody to stop them from organising a crowd.
"We have arrested Dera members who could have organised protests. Around 100 people have been detained and 10 deras have been closed," he said.
"The focus is on not letting the crowds gather. We also took help from police in neighbouring districts so that they don't allow crowds to come in," he said.
Haryana has been tense for the past three days after the conviction of the Dera chief on Friday.
The Home Ministry on Monday termed the situation in the state "still tense but under control".
There was proper vigil in place in Panchkula, which bore the brunt after the August 25 verdict, and at Sirsa — the headquarters of the sect, as well as other parts of Punjab and Haryana, the Ministry said.
The total death toll was put at "35 — with 17 in Panchkula, six in Sirsa and 12 in Chandigarh" by the Ministry.
The number of injured stands at 204, the Ministry said.
Around 2.30 pm, a special CBI court's judge will begin hearing arguments on the quantum of punishment of the Dera chief in the rape case, inside the District Jail at Sunaria near Rohtak where Ram Rahim was lodged since Friday.
(With inputs from Agencies)
