CBI court wants Dera chief to return to India by July 7 midnight

Controversial godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim, who is currently on a foreign trip to promote his film MSG 2, had moved an application in the court to allow him to stay abroad till July 24.

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Gurmeet Ram Rahim
Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim is accused of murder and rape.

A CBI special court in Panchkula has directed Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim to return to India by July 7 midnight, dismissing his application for an extension of his stay abroad.

The controversial godman, who is currently on a foreign trip to promote his film MSG 2, had moved an application in the court to allow him to stay abroad till July 24. He had sought extension on the grounds that he could not get a visa in time.

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The application was opposed by CBI counsel HPS Verma, saying that the hearings in the rape and murder cases against Gurmeet Ram Rahim are in the final stage, and he was using tactics to delay the proceedings.

"The court has nothing to do with the procedure in grant of visa by the respective countries and not to act as per the wishes and suitability of the accused while proceeding with the case. The accused should have arranged visa prior to seeking permission from the court, which he did not. He is using tactics to delay the proceedings," Verma said.

The court had earlier allowed Gurmeet Ram Rahim to promote his film abroad between June 7 and July 3.

While the hearing of the Ranjit Singh and Ramchandra Chhatrapati murder cases will take place on July 18, the rape case hearing will resume on August 12.

The sexual exploitation case against Dera chief was registered in 2002 by the CBI on the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court after anonymous letters were circulated about the alleged sexual exploitation of female followers by Gurmeet Ram Rahim.

The letters were also mailed to then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and even the Punjab and Haryana High Court. It was alleged in the letters that two female followers were raped by the dera chief.

Both the victims have recorded their statements before the court and confirmed that they were raped. Their statements are part of the CBI chargesheet which was filed on July 30, 2007, in the special court.

Besides the rape and murder cases, Gurmeet Ram Rahim is also facing attempt to murder and mass castration cases.