Panchkula court drops sedition charges against Honeypreet, others in Dera Sacha Sauda violence case

A local court on Saturday dropped sedition charges against Honeypreet Insan and 39 others in the Dera Sacha Sauda violence case.

Additional Sessions Judge Sanjay Sandhir dropped Sections 121 and 121A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the accused.

However, Honeypreet alias Priyanka Taneja and others will face trial under other charges including Sections 145, 146, 150, 152, and 120 B of the IPC, Defence lawyer Suresh Rohilla told ANI.

The case will now be heard in Chief Judicial Magistrate court.

"After hearing our arguments that the accused did not commit any offence of sedition and conspiracy, the court appreciated our arguments and framed charges against the 40 accused but dropped charges under Sections 121 and 121A," he said.

Honeypreet was charged with criminal conspiracy and sedition for inciting violence in Panchkula August 25, 2017, after the conviction of the Dera chief Sacha Sauda Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in multiple rape cases.

In September this year, the Punjab and Haryana High Court rejected her bail plea. She had also moved a bail petition in the Session court and was rejected in 2018.

Honeypreet alias Priyanka Taneja is the adopted daughter of the Dera Dera Sacha Sauda chief.

She was arrested on October 3, 2018, and is currently lodged in Ambala Central Jail.

Over 41 people were killed in the clashes.