The Punjab and Haryana High Court while listening to an bail application declined to grant bail to supporters of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim who after his conviction in a rape case, rioted and created chaos in the states.
The court while giving this decision said “Creating terror in the mind of the general public, duly armed, paralyzing the entire city, violating the law, is taken as a joy ride by the petitioners.. Facts reveal that they have projected themselves as Rulers of the State at that juncture, the Court observed.
The court in its decision further added “They have no respect for Court of law and thus, when they have threatened the very existence and majesty of the law, then there is no occasion for this Court to take an undue lenient view in their favour; rather they deserve no concession for releasing on bail”, Justice Mahabir Singh Sindhu observed while dismissing their bail applications.
The Court also directed State Police to take due care of the life and liberty of complainant, Madan Lal, Tirath Pal and Gurpreet Singh as well as their family members in view of the scenario of this case as the family may face attacks from supporters of Ram Rahim.
The Court observed that the accused had a very desperate idea to destabilize the society on account of conviction of Dera Chief and to put an extreme pressure on the Government and the Court to release the convict in a rape case.
“It is unfortunate that in the name of faith, a handful of these elements have taken the law in their own hands and put the general public as well as entire Administration on their toes. Even the life-protecting agencies were also in danger and ultimately curfew was imposed in order to maintain peace. The entire city was brought to a halt by the petitioners along with other co-accused as members of the Unlawful assembly.
They were just destroying public property, playing mischief by fire, torching vehicles and risking the lives of general public. The court while setting up a deterrent precedent for such acts of violence said that “A feeling of contentment being presumed by such persons that comes after taking the law in hands has to be knocked down with full force in order to maintain the rule of law and to protect the society, otherwise everyone will feel insecure and there will be a total chaos”, the Court said.
This decision was given by Justice Mahabir Singh Sindhu on 9th March, 2018 in the case named “Sital V State of Punjab.”
