2017 Panchkula violence: Honeypreet granted bail, released

A court here on Wednesday granted bail to Honeypreet Insan, adopted daughter of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, in 2017 Panchkula violence case.

Last Saturday, another court here had dropped sedition charges against her in connection with the violence following the conviction of the Dera chief in rape cases that left more than 30 people dead and over 200 injured.

The bail was granted on surety bond of Rs one lakh each, defence counsel R S Chauhan said, adding Honeypreet, who is lodged in Ambala jail, was released on Wednesday evening.

"As the IPC Sections including 145 (joining or continuing in unlawful assembly, knowing it has been commanded to disperse), 146 (rioting), 120-B (punishment for criminal conspiracy) are bailable sections, the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Panchkula, Rohit Vats granted bail to her on her plea, he said.

He said Honeypreet had moved a bail plea after sedition charges against her were dropped on Saturday by the Additional District and Sessions Judge Sanjay Sandhir.

He said after this the Sessions court had sent the case back to the CJM court in Panchkula where it came up for hearing on Wednesday.

The Panchkula police had booked Honeypreet and other Dera followers on the charges of sedition and criminal conspiracy in connection with the Panchkula violence case.

Honeypreet, along with others, was named in the FIR for allegedly conspiring to incite violence in Panchkula that broke out following the conviction of the Dera head in August 2017.

According to the charge sheet, the conspiracy to spread violence was hatched by Honeypreet and the 45-member Dera management committee at the Dera headquarters in Sirsa.