Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim withdraws plea for release after strong opposition by CBI

CHANDIGARH: After facing strong opposition from the CBI, the controversial head of Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS), Gurmeet Ram Rahim on Wednesday has withdrawn his plea for release from jail for 4 weeks to solemnize the marriage ceremony of his “foster daughter”.
Strongly opposing dera chief’s plea before the Punjab and Haryana high court, counsel for CBI, Sumeet Goel argued that Gurmeet Ram Rahim is a hardcore criminal and his release may create law and order problem in the state.
The CBI counsel also submitted a verification report in which child welfare committee Sirsa has not found any document proving that Guransh was legally adopted as daughter by the dera chief.
“Even if adoption is accepted, the marriage of his foster daughter, Guransh has already been fixed, invitation cards has been printed and other arrangements have been made, thus there is no need of release of dera chief. He is a hard-core criminal, already convicted for rape, murder cases and the trial against him in one more murder case is at final stage. One case related to castration is also pending against him. Considering his background he cannot be granted the relief of release from jail,” the CBI counsel Goel submitted.
The CBI counsel also informed the court that on April 29, around 50,000 followers were present inside the dera and his release at this stage may disturb the law and order situation.
Advocate general Haryana, B R Mahajan, who was also present in the courtroom, also supported the CBI’s contentions and opposed dera chief’s release.
After hearing the arguments, when the bench comprising Justice Daya Chaudhary and Justice Sudhir Mittal was not inclined to grant any relief to the dera chief, the counsel for dera chief withdrew his plea.
In his plea, dera chief had argued that his foster daughter Guransh Insan is getting married on May 10 and he is the only person who has to make all the necessary arrangements of her marriage including performance of various rituals/ceremonies being a father.
In his petition, the dera chief has also claimed that on account of her emotional attachment with him, Guransh has expressed her unwillingness to get marriage solemnized in case he (Gurmeet Ram Rahim) failed to attend the function.
It has been further claimed that Guransh has been brought up by the dera chief as his own daughter after she lost her parents in childhood and no one except him can perform her ‘Kanyadaan’.
Dera chief is presently lodged in Sunaria jail in Rohtak district after his conviction in rape and murder cases. On August 25, 2017, special CBI court Panchkula convicted him for rape of Sadhvis (female disciples) and sentenced him 20-years imprisonment. On January 17 this year, the CBI court had sentenced him life imprisonment for the 2002 murder of Sirsa-based journalist Ram Chander Chhatarpati.
In his plea, the dera chief had also referred some ceremonies, which has to be performed by him at the marriage of his foster daughter.