The Punjab government has given the green light to prosecute Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the head of the Dera Sacha Sauda, in connection with three interlinked sacrilege cases from 2015 in Faridkot. The cases revolve around incidents where torn pages of the Guru Granth Sahib were found and derogatory posters were pasted near gurdwaras. Along with Ram Rahim, three senior members of the Dera, Pardeep Kler, Harsh Dhuri, and Sandeep Bareta, are also facing prosecution. While Kler was arrested earlier this year, Dhuri and Bareta remain absconding.

This decision comes shortly after the Supreme Court lifted a stay on the proceedings, allowing the trial to move forward. The charges against Ram Rahim include Section 295-A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which relates to hurting religious sentiments, and criminal conspiracy under Section 120-B.

Background of the Sacrilege Cases

The sacrilege incidents that sparked widespread outrage in Punjab date back to 2015. In June of that year, a bir (copy) of the Guru Granth Sahib was stolen from a gurdwara in Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village, leading to heightened tensions. A few months later, in September and October, torn pages of the holy book were found near gurdwaras in Bargari and nearby villages, as well as derogatory posters. These incidents led to large protests and a demand for justice from the Sikh community.

A special investigation team (SIT) of the Punjab Police, led by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Surinder Pal Singh Parmar, conducted a detailed investigation and submitted its report. The SIT’s findings indicated that Ram Rahim and his followers had conspired to commit the sacrilege in response to an insult they felt was directed at them by a Sikh preacher during a religious event earlier in 2015.

Key Developments

According to the SIT’s report, the conspiracy was hatched by the Dera leadership after a confrontation between some of their followers and a Sikh preacher, Harjinder Singh Manjhi, who had asked the Dera followers to remove religious lockets or leave a religious congregation. The Dera members reportedly saw this as an insult and sought revenge. The SIT’s report points to a meeting between Dera leaders Sandeep Bareta, Pardeep Kler, and Harsh Dhuri, who planned the sacrilege and passed the instructions to carry it out.

Pardeep Kler, one of the key conspirators, was arrested in February 2024. In his statement to the police, he admitted that Ram Rahim was involved in the sacrilege incidents. Kler is now expected to be made an approver in the case, which could further strengthen the prosecution’s case.

Legal Proceedings

The cases have already seen several legal developments. In February 2022, the Supreme Court ordered the transfer of the trials from Faridkot to Chandigarh after an accused in the case, Pardeep Singh Kataria, was shot dead in 2022. The next hearing is scheduled for November