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Gurmeet Ram Raheem Case: The Punjab and Haryana High Court, while hearing the petition of Dera Sachcha Sauda chief Gurmeet Singh, has issued a notice to the Punjab government and the CBI and sought their response.
In his petition, the Dera chief has demanded a CBI inquiry into two FIRs registered in blasphemy cases, in Dayalpur of Bathinda in October 2015 and in Samalsar of Moga in November 2015. The petition said that on the basis of the statement given by Pradeep Kaler, an accused in this case, before the magistrate in February, the Punjab government can now demand a production warrant against him in these cases.
Five FIRs were registered in defamation case
The Dera chief told the High Court that five FIRs have been registered in the defamation case, out of which three have been registered in Faridkot. Last month itself, the High Court has stayed the hearing of the Dera chief on these three FIRs and the entire matter has been referred to a larger bench of the High Court. But action can be taken against the Dera chief in the FIRs of Bathinda and Moga.
On the petition of the Dera chief, the High Court has issued a notice to the Punjab government and the CBI and ordered them to reply by May 21. The court has also ordered the Punjab government that if any action is taken against the Dera chief in these cases, then seven days' notice should be given to the Dera chief.
Trial court proceedings stayed
In March, in a major relief to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Singh, the Punjab and Haryana High Court stayed the trial court proceedings against him in the lower court for his role in the blasphemy case. The high court has also referred the issue to a larger bench to decide whether blasphemy cases should be investigated by the CBI or not.
The main issue in the case before the High Court was whether the consent given by the State for a CBI investigation could be later withdrawn by the State.
The Dera chief's counsel argued that the CBI had already submitted the closure report in the case and the Punjab government, which had earlier agreed to hand over the case to the CBI, had withdrawn its consent without any authority.
Instructions to cancel Punjab Government Notification 2019
In his petition, the Dera chief has sought a direction to quash the Punjab government's notification dated September 6, 2018, through which the state government had withdrawn its consent for CBI investigation in blasphemy cases.
Let us tell you that three FIRs were registered in the Bargadi blasphemy case of 2015, in which the charge sheet was filed against Dera Sachcha Sauda Sirsa chief Gurmeet. In February last year, the Supreme Court had transferred the hearing of this case from Faridkot Court to Chandigarh.
