Panel set up for running Dera Sacha Sauda's educational institutes: Haryana government to HC

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government has set up an ad-hoc committee for running educational institutions of Dera Sacha Sauda, the Punjab and Haryana High Court was informed today.

In an affidavit filed in the court, the Haryana government said an ad-hoc committee comprising two retired principals has been set up to work with Sirsa's deputy commissioner and the district education officer for running educational institutes of Dera Sacha Sauda.

The court ordered to appoint an accounts officer for this committee who will maintain all accounts and transactions done by the institutes and the Dera Sacha Sauda will have to get permission from the committee for carrying out transactions to run its educational institutes.

It is considering holding of trial in all the criminal cases against the Dera at one place.

A full bench of Justice Surya Kant, Justice Augustine George Masih and Justice Avneesh Jhingan was hearing a PIL filed by Panchkula resident Ravinder Dhull on the law-and-order situation arising out of Dera Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's case, who was sentenced to 20- year-imprisonment for raping two disciples.

Dhull had moved the High Court for directions to the state and its functionaries to make adequate security arrangements especially in Panchkula district and surrounding areas for the pronouncement of verdict in the criminal trial against Ram Rahim on August 25, last year.

The bench asked the amicus curiae (the friend of the Court), Anupam Gupta, to address the court on the issue of holding the trial at one place.

Justice Surya Kant put the query to the amicus curiae as the case came up for resumed hearing and asked him to inform the court whether such an arrangement ware tenable under the law.

The counsel appearing for Haryana was also asked to come out with details of such cases pending across the state on August 8, the next date of hearing.

The bench also authorised the Sirsa civil surgeon to ensure running of the Dera's medical institutions under the supervision of a team headed by him.

It also directed the civil surgeon to verify the details of all the medical and para-medical staff working in the Dera Sacha Sauda-run medical institutions before submitting a detailed report by the next date of hearing in the matter.

The directions came after senior advocate-cum-amicus curiae Anupam Gupta objected to the contents of a list containing details of medical staff working in the Dera-run institutions.

Dubbing the list as vague, Gupta asserted that qualifications and other details of the staff appeared to be fuzzy.

It was common tendency among private institutions to showcase specialists, who actually appeared during inspections, he said and requested the Bench to call for verified details of specialists and other staff, along with their experience and expertise from the health department.

Gupta suggested to the court that the Dera's hospital in Sirsa should be handed over to the PGIMER.