Sirsa based Dera Sacha Sauda today appealed to supporters to not believe in any succession rumours following the conviction Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a rape case.
Meanwhile, the Haryana police kept making efforts to trace the Dera chief's adopted daughter Honeypreet against whom a lookout notice was issued yesterday.
On Monday, a special CBI court in Panchkula had sentenced the Dera chief to 20 years in prison. With Ram Rahim Singh (50) behind bars in the Sunaria jail in Rohtak district, there was speculation on who would succeed him. Names of his son Jasmeet, Honeypreet and Dera chairperson Vipassana Insan were doing the rounds.
"There are a lot of rumours being spread about the announcement of a successor by the Dera Sacha Sauda or revered Guru ji. You (followers) will have to stay away from such rumours. There is nothing of that sort," the Dera chairperson said in a video message released on her twitter handle.
She asked the Dera followers not to trust in any rumour.
"It has come to our notice that some anti-social elements were trying to mislead people by spreading rumours. Some miscreants were spreading rumours like 'Jail Bharo Abhiyan'. I appeal you to beware of such rumours," she said.
She also said that the Dera Sacha Sauda has full faith in the legal process and said the should abide by the law. The Dera has also asked followers to stay indoors as it was not holding any 'Satsang' or 'Majlis' as of now.
Meanwhile, the Haryana police kept up efforts to trace Honeypreet against whom a look out notice was issued.
When asked about the look out notice against Honeypreet, Panchkula DCP Manbir Singh said that efforts were on to trace her. A lookout notice was issued yesterday against Honeypreet and another Dera functionary Aditya Insan by the Haryana police.
"On being interrogated, Surinder Dhiman Insaan, who was arrested earlier, revealed that Honeypreet Insaan and Aditya Insaan might leave the country. So we have issued lookout notices against them," Panchkula Police Commissioner, A S Chawla had said yesterday.
Surinder Dhiman made some disclosures pertaining to Honeypreet, said to be the adopted daughter of the sect chief, and Aditya, spokesman of the Dera, for which their interrogation is necessary, the police had said.
The police are also looking into allegations regarding a conspiracy to free the 50-year-old sect chief after he was convicted.
Honeypreet, who is in her thirties, accompanied Ram Rahim Singh when he was appeared before the Special CBI court in Panchkula for the pronouncement of verdict in a 15-year-old rape case.
She also travelled along with the Dera head in a special chopper which ferried them to Rohtak from Panchkula after the conviction.
Honeypreet has acted in a film MSG 2 -The Messenger and later made a special appearance in MSG-The Warrior Lion Heart, in which the Dera chief plays the lead role.
Ram Rahim Singh is married to Harjeet Kaur. They have two daughters, Charanpreet and Amanpreet, both are married, and a son Jasmeet.