Section 144 imposed in Panchkula ahead of Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s sentencing in murder case

Panchkula: Police have imposed Section 144 across the city in view of the pronouncement of quantum of punishment on Thursday to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim by the CBI Special Court of Jagdeep Singh, which has convicted him in the case pertaining to the murder of journalist Ramchander Chhatrapati.

Speaking to ANI, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Kamaldeep Goel on Thursday said: “We have imposed Section 144 across the city. The CBI Special court is in Sector 1. We have also restricted the vehicular movement on all four roads connecting to the court premises.”

Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) prohibits assembly of five or more persons, holding of public meetings, and carrying weapons.

“Today no one is being allowed to park his vehicle inside the court. Each and every person, entering the court will be frisked. Moreover, we have deployed scores of security personnel near the borders. All the vehicles are being thoroughly checked before entering Panchkula,” said Goel.

Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim will be produced in the court through video conference from Sunaria jail in Rohtak, where he is currently serving 20-year prison term since 2017 for raping two of his women followers.

Three other accused, who were also convicted in the journalist’s murder case, will be produced in the court from Ambala jail through video conference.

The Dera chief has been found guilty of orchestrating the killing of Chhatrapati, a Sirsa-based journalist after the scribe wrote against Ram Rahim in his newspaper titled ‘Poora Sach.’ The scribe was shot in 2002, and the case was registered in 2003.