New Delhi: Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) judge Jagdeep Singh, who convicted and sentenced Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh to 20 years of imprisonment, has now been extended the Z-plus security cover by the government.
A total of 55 policemen and 10 National Security Guard (NSG) commandos will be given to the judge and his family members.
According to sources in Haryana Police, Singh and his family had been receiving threatening calls from Dera followers ever since the special CBI judge announced the verdict on August 25. Soon after the judgement, Dera supporters wreaked havoc in several districts of Punjab and Haryana. As many as 38 people died in the ensuing violence.
Z-plus team
Each member of the Z-plus team is adept in unarmed combat skills and martial arts.
On August 25, Judge Singh delivered the verdict in a sexual assault case regarding two former Dera sadhvis (female disciples), finding Ram Rahim guilty of two counts of rape. Ram Rahim was taken into custody. On August 28, Singh sentenced the Dera chief to 20 years of imprisonment, 10 years for each of the two rape convictions to be served consecutively.
Interestingly, Ram Rahim’s Z-plus security was withdrawn immediately after his conviction.
“The moment Ram Rahim was arrested, his Z-plus security cover stood automatically withdrawn. He is being treated as an ordinary prisoner. Also as far as food is concerned, he is served the same food which other prisoners have,” Haryana Chief Secretary D.S. Desi told media.
Ram Rahim’s family members
Meanwhile, Haryana government has now been accused of allowing an opportunity to Ram Rahim’s family members to leave the Dera headquarters in Sirsa with cash worth crores on the day of the spiritual guru’s conviction.
According to highly placed sources in Union Home Ministry, the Manohar Lal Khattar government facilitated Ram Rahim’s family’s escape from Sirsa to Rajasthan. The family is believed to be carrying illegal weapons and evidence, besides cash.
Ram Rahim had amassed several weapons to be used by his private army trained inside the Dera.
However, Haryana Police chief B.S. Sandhu on Thursday denied the allegations.
“We do not have information about the family members of Baba Ram Rahim leaving the headquarters and reaching Rajasthan. There are no inputs about a truck carrying weapons and cash leaving for Rajasthan. But we have heard about these allegations and we are looking into it,” Sandhu told media.
