2015 sacrilege cases: Gurmeet Ram Rahim urges SC to keep stay order in abeyance

New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) – Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim on Monday requested the Supreme Courtto put on hold its interim order permitting a trial court to proceed against him in the 2015 sacrilege cases in Punjab.

On October 18, 2023, the apex court had overturned the Punjab and Haryana High Court's order dated March 11, 2024, which had stayed trial proceedings against Ram Rahim. The Punjab government challenged the high court’s stay, bringing the matter before a bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and K Vinod Chandran.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Ram Rahim, argued that the Supreme Court’s interim order was effectively allowing the Punjab government’s appeal. As the bench agreed to hear the main matter, Rohatgi sought to suspend the order until the hearing. However, the court refused, stating that the request could not be granted without a full hearing on the merits and scheduled the Punjab government’s plea for March 18.

Punjab Government Defends Its Stand​

Punjab’s Advocate General Gurminder Singh emphasized that the Supreme Court had already passed the October 18 interim order in the presence of both parties. He urged the court to expedite the hearing on Punjab’s Special Leave Petition (SLP), to which the bench agreed.

Rohatgi countered that Punjab initially handed over the case to the CBI, but after two years, the state assembly revoked the agency’s consent to investigate. He argued that this withdrawal was improper.

The Supreme Court directed the Punjab government to file its rejoinder within three weeks in response to Ram Rahim’s counter-petition. The court also took note that Ram Rahim was currently out on 30-day parole.

Background of the 2015 Sacrilege Cases​

The sacrilege incidents took place between June and October 2015 in Faridkot district, Punjab, sparking widespread unrest and protests. Three major incidents were reported:

1. June 2, 2015 – A priest from Gurudwara Singh Sahib in Burj Jawahar Singh Wala alleged that the sacred scripture, Shri Guru Granth Sahib, had been desecrated.
2. September 24-25, 2015 – Posters containing derogatory remarks against the Guru Granth Sahib and Sikh religious leaders were found outside a gurdwara in Bargari, leading to an FIR at Bajakhana police station.
3. October 12, 2015 – Around 112 torn pages of the Guru Granth Sahib were found near the Bargari Gurudwara, triggering mass protests.

Following these incidents, the Punjab government transferred the investigation to the CBI in 2015. However, on September 6, 2018, the state withdrew its consent, leading to legal battles over jurisdiction.

Supreme Court's Intervention​

In February 2023, the Supreme Court transferred the trial against Ram Rahim and his followers from Faridkot to Chandigarh. Later, Ram Rahim approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court, challenging the state’s 2018 notification withdrawing the CBI probe and demanding the central agency continue its investigation.

On March 11, 2024, the high court referred the matter to a larger bench, questioning whether Punjab could legally withdraw CBI’s jurisdiction after the agency had begun its probe. Until the issue was resolved, the trial court proceedings were put on hold.

With the Supreme Court now actively reviewing the case, all eyes are on the March 18 hearing, which will determine the next legal course in this highly sensitive case.