HC cancels sect leader's bail; to be presented in court

The Punjab and Haryana High Court Thursday cancelled the bail granted to controversial sect leader Rampal in a 2006 murder case.

Taking up hearing of his bail case, a division bench of the high court cancelled the bail which was granted to the self-styled godman in April 2008.

Amicus Curie Anupam Gupta, who has been assisting the court in the Rampal case, said that the court cancelled his earlier bail and allowed the Haryana Police to present him before the court Thursday at 2 p.m.

Haryana's Advocate General B.R. Mahajan informed the court that Rampal had been arrested and sought permission to advance his hearing in the contempt of court matter against the sect leader.

The court had issued fresh non-bailable warrants against Rampal Nov 17 and directed that he be produced before the court by all means Friday.

Rampal, who remained elusive on health grounds, was finally arrested by the Haryana Police from his Satlok Ashram near Barwala town in Haryana, 210 km from here, Wednesday night.

He was brought to the Sector 6 General Hospital in Panchkula, adjoining Chandigarh, where he was medically examined. All his health parameters were found normal by doctors.

Rampal has been slapped with fresh cases of sedition, attempt to murder, rioting, illegal detention and others under the Arms Act.

Supporters of Rampal Tuesday clashed with security forces to prevent them from entering the ashram premises. They fired at police, lobbed petrol bombs and acid pouches, besides hurling stones and bricks.

The sect leader had been avoiding arrest and failed to appear before the Punjab and Haryana High Court although non-bailable warrants were issued against him Nov 5.

Rampal's supporters had indulged in vandalism in a court in Hisar in July when he was going there in connection with the 2006 murder case. The high court took suo motu notice of the incident and summoned Rampal.

--Indo-Asian News Service

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