The massive operation to locate and arrest controversial 'godman' Rampal cost the exchequer over Rs 26 crore, the Punjab and Haryana High Court was told on Friday.
A court in Hisar on Tuesday extended the police remand of Satlok Ashram head Rampal by six days in connection with fresh cases slapped against him.
Fifteen out of 97 men belonging to dominant Jat community were convicted on Saturday by a Delhi court in a case of burning alive of a 70-year-old Dalit man and his physically-challenged daughter at Mirchpur village of Haryana's Hisar district last year.
Efforts to arrest self-styled 'godman' Rampal, who is holed up in his ashram in Barwala, Haryana will continue, police said on Wednesday morning after suspending the operation overnight following clashes between his supporters and security personnel that left over 200 people injured.
The two men, who were arrested on August 20 from Fatehabad in Haryana's Hisar district, had claimed that they were cow vigilantes who wanted to draw attention towards protection of cows.
Four members of the Bansal family committed suicide within two months. In their parting note, they blamed the CBI for pushing them over the edge.
Devotees from as far away as Nepal throng Sant Rampal's ashram for blessings, particularly the kheer made from the milk in which he takes his daily bath. That's how revered the godman is. But all that might be coming to an end.
Police said the investigation in the case is still on and so far they have not found any link with cow vigilantes.
Controversial godman Rampal was whisked away from his ashram in Haryana to an undisclosed destination for "treatment", his supporters claimed hours after he again failed to appear before Punjab and Haryana High Court and sought more time citing ill health.
The babas' vote banks and the politicians' greed for en bloc votes, is the curse of Punjab and Haryana.
The Indian National Lok Dal had split following differences between Ajay Singh Chautala and his younger brother Abhay Chautala.
