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Rediff.com  » News » Blasphemy case against Dera chief dismissed

Blasphemy case against Dera chief dismissed

Source: PTI
August 07, 2014 19:51 IST
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A local court on Thursday dismissed the case of alleged blasphemy against Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and hurting sentiments of Sikhs in 2007. District and Sessions Judge Tejinder Singh accepted the report submitted by the state seeking dismissal of the case.

The judge also accepted the revision plea filed by the Dera Chief against an order of a lower court rejecting the police report, seeking dismissal of the case. A case was registered by Bathinda police against Dera chief for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of Sikhs in May 2007. The head of Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda was embroiled in a controversy after he appeared in a newspaper advertisement attired in a dress similar to the tenth Sikh guru Gobind Singh on May 13, 2007.

After the appearance of the advertisement, the state was hit by sectarian strife in which one person was killed and over 50 injured. Earlier, when the state had sought dismissal of case, the Chief Judicial Magistrate Harjeet Singh had rejected the application. The court had also ordered the prosecution to file the list of witnesses within 15 days against the accused on April 2, 2012. The dismissal of the case was sought on the affidavit submitted by the police on February 4 that year.

The complainant had only filed an affidavit alleging the blasphemous act and was not an eye witness to it, according to police sources. The case had been registered under Section 295-A (acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class) on May 20, 2007.

According to the complaint submitted by Rajinder Singh Sidhu on May 13, 2007, to the Senior Superintendent of Police, the complainant had mentioned the publication of an advertisement in some daily news papers showing the Dera Chief wearing the auspicious dress of Sri Guru Gobind Singh and imitating the Guru in all acts.

According to the advocates, who appeared on behalf of the Dera Sacha Sauda Chief, S K Garg Narwana, Gurdas Singh Salwara and Kewal Brar, the police were not able to produce charge sheet in the stipulated time.

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