Punjab and Haryana HC dismisses bail plea of self-styled godman Rampal in 2014 case

Founder of a “socio-cultural movement” known as Satlok Ashram in Haryana, Rampal heads a religious sect called the Kabir Panth. In 2014, he refused to appear before the court in connection with a 2006 murder conspiracy case, prompting the Punjab and Haryana High Court to order the police to arrest him. However, Rampal and his supporters barricaded themselves inside his Satlok Ashram in a bid to prevent the arrest.

As the police tried to move into the ashram, they clashed with his followers. Four women and a baby died in the subsequent violence. Rampal was also booked under murder charges for the same.

As many as 5,375 personnel from the Haryana government as well as central forces were deployed to nab Rampal and his aides, costing the exchequer Rs 26 crore. The 10-day operation culminated in his arrest on November 19, 2014.

The bench held that if enlarged on bail, his ability to gather a large number of people to avoid the trial is potentially damaging against him for which reason he is being tried by a court which assembles at the Hisar Jail.

“It was with great difficulty that the arrest warrants as such were executed at the precious cost of innocent lives of women and a child who were gathered in the ashram, who were being used as human shields,” the bench said.

The court added that merely on account of the long detention, the petitioner is not entitled to the benefit of regular bail.