A Bathinda court on Wednesday issued a conditional arrest warrant against the Dera Sacha Sauda chief Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, accused of hurting the religious sentiments of Sikhs.

The Court of Duty Magistrate A L Khitchi issued the order and directed the police to seek the Punjab government's permission before arresting the Sirsa-based Dera head.

On Tuesday, the judge had noted that the police did not have sufficient evidence to seek an arrest warrant against the Dera head after which the prosecution sought a day's time.

The police in their application had claimed that they had sufficient evidence against him.

Various Sikh organisations have been mounting pressure on the Punjab government asking it to arrest the Dera chief for hurting the religious feelings of the community.

A case was registered against the head of the Sirsa-based sect on May 20 for hurting religious sentiments of the Sikhs.

The Dera chief was embroiled in controversy after an advertisement appeared in newspapers on May 13 purportedly showing him distributing amrut while dressed like Sikh Guru Gobind Singh.