The Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) on Wednesday directed Punjab to supply all evidence and statements other than case diaries, pertaining to the sacrilege cases, within seven days, to Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. Ram Rahim had filed petition at HC challenging the order dated May 4, 2023 passed by the trial court whereby his application seeking investigation record of the CBI in the FIRs pertaining to the sacrilege cases, was dismissed. Appearing before the HC, counsel for petitioner-Ram Rahim, Senior Advocate Chetan Mittal contended that the CBI has already submitted a closure report in this case and the state of Punjab, which has earlier consented to send the case to CBI, has withdrawn its consent and without any authority has submitted the challan within a few days thereafter and in that reference to the judgment of the High Court dated January 4, 2021. specific direction were given to the State that all the evidence and other related documents and investigation done by the CBI shall be made part of challan. It was, as such, the bounden duty of the investigating agency to produce the all evidences, which were part and parcel of the CBI investigation. Dera Chief counsel told that on repeated application by the petitioner before the trial court, Punjab has taken the stand that it is already part of challan, however, and in spite of the recent direction by HC in the same matter, documents which have been supplied do not contain the statements and evidence recorded by CBI.
