Panchkula court has dropped sedition charges against 53 Dera followers

[Hindustani78]

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/660402/dera-violence-haryana-kwould-trouble.html
Gautam Dheer, DH News Service, Chandigarh, Feb 19 2018, 21:55 IST

The Haryana Police, using phone-call intercepts, had become aware, well in advance, that Dera followers would resort to large-scale violence in the circumstance of sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh getting convicted by the CBI court in the rape cases.

The state police had intercepted several calls ahead of August 25, the date of the verdict.

These calls clearly established the ill-designs of the Dera Sacha Sauda to incite and escalate violence if their chief was convicted.

Despite all the information and wherewithal at the disposal of the government, widespread arson and violence was witnessed in Panchkula and Sirsa - the epicentres of the violence - that consumed 40 lives and left over 220 injured in just a few hours on the day of the judgement.

The voluminous transcripts of calls made between the Dera leaders and their followers ahead of the verdict are now a part of the elaborate chargesheet presented by the special investigating team in the court.

Call intercepts reveal that sect leaders and followers talked about procuring weapons, sticks, kerosene and acid. Issues of distributing these and modes of transport were elaborately discussed.

One of the sect followers from Fatehabad was heard talking to the district head of the sect informing that she had received a message to equip followers headed for Panchkula with kerosene, acid and sticks.

The police maintain that they knew what was transpiring and that all preventive measures had been taken to thwart the violence.

The call intercepts also bring to fore the pressure that the Dera attempted to exert on the BJP government in the state for help ahead of the case.

Sect leaders could be heard giving instructions to followers to meet MLAs and cabinet ministers in the Manohar Lal Khattar government to garner support for the Dera chief in the case.

Meanwhile, a Panchkula court has dropped sedition charges against 53 Dera followers who were accused of the charge. The sedition charges were dropped for want of prosecution sanction.

 

[Hindustani78]

https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...a-followers/story-pcdGEDsBB9DpfNujtpYgWP.html

The court of additional sessions judge, Rajan Walia, has dropped the sedition and attempt to murder charges against 53 followers and executive officials of the Dera Sacha Sauda who were arrested from the dividing road of Panchkula’s Sector 2 and 4 on August 25 after clashes broke out following the conviction of the dera chief in a rape case.

Among the main accused were Surender Dhiman and Chamkaur Singh, close aides of convicted dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, who have been booked in multiple cases relating to Panchkula arson. The next hearing is scheduled for February 22.

The move comes as a setback for Panchkula police who had prepared a strong case against them by slapping sedition charges under Section 121 (Waging war against the state) and 121A (Conspiracy to commit offences under Section 121) along with other charges including Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the time of moving the challan last month.

Representing the police, public prosecutor Romil Lamba argued that the assembly of these accused at the spot had become uncontrollable which also led to stone pelting on the police personnel, which is why they were charged under Sections 307, 121 and 121-A.

However, the defence counsel argued that the offences under these sections were unnecessary as there was no life threatening injury to any police personnel and none of the accused had any kind of dangerous weapons.

Counsel SS Rohilla further argued that offences under sections 121 and 121-A IPC can’t be made out as there was no intention to wage war against the state.

Giving justification on removing Section 307, the court stated that merely pelting pebbles from some distance cannot be considered an attempt to murder. There was no injury to any police personnel which could be considered dangerous to life.

The court then dropped sedition charges on the grounds that there was no prosecution sanction obtained either from the state or central government in slapping these charges, which is mandatory in nature.

Secondly, overt acts such a collection of men, arms and ammunition itself do not mean that they are waging war as there is distinction between riot and waging of war as the purpose and intention is different.

Meanwhile after removing these sections, these accused are largely left with mild sections of rioting (Section 148 and 149), deterring public servant from duty (Section 283) and causing hurt to deter public servant (Section 332).

Reacting on the development, Panchkula police commissioner AS Chawla said that they are legally examining the matter.

 

[GodToons]

Wise decision.. sections for riots as well as damage to public property should be applied to be in precise. Sedation is over the top and would not be sustainable.

 

[Hindustani78]

Wise decision.. sections for riots as well as damage to public property should be applied to be in precise. Sedation is over the top and would not be sustainable.

I dont think , we Indians can't term the events around Sirsa, Haryana as riots . some thing around 36 AK 47's and other weapons such were confisticated by Indian security forces and even communication system were found there.

Here its sedition charges and the clamping down on PNB banks is mainly to check the foreign funding which is directly pointing out the full involvement of citizens of other nations who are of Indian Origin or being linked with Pakistan.

 

[GodToons]

I dont think , we Indians can't term the events around Sirsa, Haryana as riots . some thing around 36 AK 47's and other weapons such were confisticated by Indian security forces and even communication system were found there.

Here its sedition charges and the clamping down on PNB banks is mainly to check the foreign funding which is directly pointing out the full involvement of citizens of other nations who are of Indian Origin or being linked with Pakistan.

Some 12 bore licensed guns were found along with country made arms. Kindly check police diary submitted in court to get information about arms seized during this agitation/ riot/ destruction of public property.

Haryana police, whatever slow, does not care 2 hoots, if someone fires on them using automatic rifles like AK47. They will just put bamboo in the criminal. Only Mevat criminals (search who are these guys) are known to have Ak series in Haryana.

 

[Hindustani78]

Dropping of sedition charge: Panchkula police’s charges against dera followers under scanner
There are at least 10 more cases where the police have slapped sedition charges.
Updated: Feb 20, 2018 11:24 IST

https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...der-scanner/story-FRsqlnekc6QqJRGu7loyyK.html

The recent verdict of the local court dropping sedition charges against 53 dera sacha sauda followers in connection with Panchkula violence has put the police probe under scanner.

There are at least 10 more cases where the police have slapped sedition charges including Section 121 (waging war against the state) and 121A (conspiracy to commit offences under Section 121), and Section 122 (collecting arms, etc.with intention of waging war against the Government of India) against a large number of dera followers who allegedly clashed with security forces on August 25, last year, after the conviction of dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in a rape case.

In one of the cases ‘state vs Sukhbir Singh’, the police have even slapped Section 124 A of the Indian Penal Code that deals with bringing disaffection towards government through words, or signs, or otherwise.

The two cases where approval is granted include a case ‘state vs Surender Dhiman’ in which Honeypreet and other top dera functionaries are the main accused.

Sources in the police said that out of these cases, police have so far got permission to impose sedition sections only in two cases. In two other cases, sanction has already been declined while in six cases, permission is pending.

Given that framing of charges in the said cases are to be done in the next two weeks, sedition charges might be dropped if sanction is not granted at the earliest.

As reported by HT on Monday, the local court dropped sedition charges against 53 dera followers because police did not have prosecution sanction from the state government to frame them under Section 121 and 121A.

“The prosecution sanction of any penal section is granted only if the state is convinced that these charges justify the police probe. If the state has put on hold approvals for sedition charges, this really puts police probe in doubt in connection with the dera violence,” said defence lawyer RC Chauhan, who is opposing police move to frame his client under sedition charges in one of the cases. Panchkula police commissioner AS Chawla said that they are legally reviewing the matter

Sedition approval only in Honeypreet and dera chief escape case

The two cases where approval is granted include a case ‘state vs Surender Dhiman’ in which Honeypreet and other top dera functionaries are the main accused. The matter is listed for framing of charges on February 21.

The second is ‘state vs head constable Ajay’ in which dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s security guards are accused of helping the dera chief in an escape bid. This case is listed on February 26.

Some 12 bore licensed guns were found along with country made arms. Kindly check police diary submitted in court to get information about arms seized during this agitation/ riot/ destruction of public property.

Haryana police, whatever slow, does not care 2 hoots, if someone fires on them using automatic rifles like AK47. They will just put bamboo in the criminal. Only Mevat criminals (search who are these guys) are known to have Ak series in Haryana.

67 firearms and around 120 petrol bombs were recovered by the security forces.


Dera followers also carried semi-automatic shotguns and at least one Mauser C96 carbine which, unlike the weapon’s short-barrel pistol version, is a rare collector’s item even in Europe because few of these were made.

Out of the 33 firearms the Sirsa sadar police recovered on Monday, some are military surplus rifles of US origin.

Arms experts who studied photographs of the seized weapons said quite a few are the famous M1 Garand semi-automatic rifle that US soldiers have used . The 30-06 caliber Garand is still used in training and competitions in America.

Experts also spotted at least one US-made M1 Carbine (not to be confused with the M1 Garand rifle) that are shorter and lighter and fire the 7.62 x 33 mm ammunition.

 

[Hindustani78]

https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...ion-charges/story-p8QNruTCE9ZG67wohYoAyI.html

After Panchkula police, the prosecution lawyers have been caught on the back foot in defending cases with sedition charges against dera sacha sauda followers in connection with the violence that broke out on August 25 following the dera chief’s conviction.

As per norms, the permission of state government is mandatory to prosecute accused with sedition charges.

In last three days, the public prosecutors have sought adjournment in framing of charges in a couple of these cases on the ground that Haryana government’s prosecution sanction is awaited.

One such case is state Vs Hoshiyar Singh in which police framed 10 accused with three sedition charges including Section 121 (waging war against state), Section 121A (conspiracy for waging war) and then Sector 124A for bringing disaffection towards government through words, signs, or otherwise.

The court deferred the hearing on framing of charges for March 9 on the adjournment plea of public prosecutor Romil Lamba but the defence counsels took a strong objection of prosecution’s plea, calling it delaying tactics.

In another case ‘state vs Naib Singh’ in which sedition charges are slapped against 40 dera followers, the public prosecutor NS Bhoria too pleaded for adjournment on similar grounds following which the matter is now listed for March 15.

There are ar present 10 cases where Panchkula police have slapped sedition charges and so far, Haryana government has given sanction only in two cases—one of which is against Honeypreet and 45 members of the dera committee as the accused and other is the one involving the dera chief’s security guards.

In rest of the eight cases, two are already declined while six cases are pending.

The state Vs Harjinder was the one first where court dropped the sedition charges against 53 dera followers in cases.

Defence lawyer SK Rohilla said the police should have secured government permission to levy these charges before filling challan. “If state government has held up and declined sanctions in several cases, it clearly indicates police mindless approach to frame innocent people,” he said.

Rohilla also said that the dera followers who were framed with such notorious sections converged here for faith, not to wage war against the state. “In the violence that occurred on August 25, not a single police personnel was killed. All 36 dead were innocent people. They are now being tried under false premises, he added.

Haryana police spokesperson Mamta Singh, however, said that the charges framed by the police in Panchkula violence cases were based on the evidence they had collected.

She added that as far as prosecution sanction is concerned in cases with sedition charges, the matter is already under consideration of the state government and it will hopefully be decided soon.

“This is the matter between police and the government. We are looking into it,” state home secretary SS Parsad hung up the phone after commenting this when contacted on this issue.

Permission in two cases so far

So far, out of 10 cases where sedition charges have been included, sanction has been given in two cases—one of which has Honeypreet and 45 members of the dera committee as the accused and other is the one involving the dera chief’s security guards.

In rest of the eight cases, two are already declined while six cases are pending. Out of the pending cases, three cases are listed by the end of this month, in which prosecution too is trying hard for adjournment.

 

[Hindustani78]

https://www.hindustantimes.com/punj...er-held-too/story-CghXTmDWQztJBE8GQrsVZN.html

Police in Punjab’s Sangrur arrested two alleged suppliers of firearms who have been working at temples in the area for a decade.

Police said that while the were arrested at a checkpost near Kakuwal village in Dirba subdivision on Monday — when they were coming from Patran to Sunam area on a bike — a “buyer” was arrested on Tuesday after interrogating the duo, and three pistols were seized from the trio.

The two are Bhagwan Dass, alias Karan, and Lekh Raj, both 40 years old, of Mathura in Uttar Pradesh. The alleged buyer is Avtar Singh, alias Lali (age not known), of Khadial village near Sunam.

“These have been in the district for a decade and have sold six pistols to different people in the surroundings. They bought the pistols from UP and sold them at Rs 6,000 to Rs 9,000 in Punjab,” said senior superintendent of police Mandeep Singh Sidhu. Police seized a .32 bore pistol and a .12 bore pistol, besides four cartridges, from them; a .32 bore pistol and two cartridges were seized from Lali.

Bhagwan Dass was working at Thakur Mandir in Sunam for a year and had earlier served at Gaushala Mandir in Dirba in 2007. “He tried to elope with a girl at Dirba in 2009 but was caught by the residents. That ended in a compromise,” Sidhu claimed, “He was also booked under Arms Act at Mathura in 2011.”

Lekh Raj, who is a relative of Dass’, served at Sunam, Khadial and Uppli villages since 2007, the SSP added. “He sold two pistols to Lakhwinder Singh Lakhi of Mehlan Chowk in 2016; police arrested Lakhi and recovered both pistols... The three men will be produced in court and, after getting remand, police will probe their 10 years’ history.”

The two priest were booked under sections 483 (counterfeiting) of the Indian Penal Code and, along with Lali, under the Arms Act too.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/another-dera-follower-booked/555627.html

The special investigation team of the Counter Intelligence today booked another Dera Sacha Sauda follower Avtar Singh, a resident of Massimajra village in Haryana, in the Maur blast case.

Earlier, Gurtej Singh Kala, workshop in-charge of the dera, and Amrik Singh, a former security guard of the dera chief, were named as the accused. None of the accused has been arrested yet. Sources said the police approached a Talwandi Sabo court for the renewal of the arrest warrants against Gurtej Singh Kala and Amrik Singh.

The police told the court that Avtar Singh was also involved in the Maur blast and sought his arrest warrant too, which was granted by the court.

Police sources said Avtar Singh, an electrician by profession, had helped Gurtej and Amrik in planting the bomb in the car. He helped in fixing the batteries used to trigger the blast.

Meanwhile, the police today conducted raids in Kurukshetra for the arrest of the accused, but failed to nab anyone. DIG Ranbir Singh Khatra said efforts were on to arrest the accused.