CHANDIGARH: After twelve years, Sikh religious preacher Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale has been booked by the Punjab Police in a case of alleged rape and murder of a woman in Patiala in 2012, the Punjab and Haryana High Court was informed.
An affidavit filed by Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav before the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday stated that a FIR was filed on a complaint lodged by the victim's brother, a Patiala resident under section 302 (murder), 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered at Passiana Police station in Patiala on December 7, 2024 and the case is under investigation.
The DGP filed the affidavit in the high court after the victim's brother alleged that his sister was raped and murdered and no action was taken by state police at the time of the incident.
The woman was found in an unconscious condition outside the gate of Gurdwara Parmeshwar Dwar on April 22, 2012, and later she died at a hospital before she could make any statement, as per the affidavit.
The affidavit further stated that the sister of the deceased filed four complaints from June 19, 2012, to November 9, 2012, for taking action against Dhadrianwale. An inquiry into the matter was conducted by the then Station House Officer, Passiana Police station and a recommendation was made for filling the said complaints.
According to the office procedure, the records for the years January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2014 had been destroyed in October 2020,stated the affidavit. It said on December 21, 2023, the woman's brother had alleged that he was threatened by some persons not to raise his voice against Dhadrianwale.
The affidavit stated that show-cause notices have been issued to then deputy superintendent of police Sewa Singh Malhi (who is now retired) and then SHO Ashok Kumar (now SP) on December 7.
The petition of the woman's brother was taken up in November and during the previous hearing, the Bench presided over by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu had asked the DGP to explain as to what action has been taken against officials who handled the case in 2012.
Sikh preacher Dhandrianwale, who heads Parmeshwar Dwar gurdwara, a dera in Shekhupura village in Patiala, has a large following in Punjab and among the diaspora abroad.
Meanwhile Dhadrianwale, in a video message, said he would cooperate with the police investigation. "They (the family) have moved the High Court. They have a doubt and they should clear their doubt. The High Court has said investigate the case after registering the FIR. It may take some time, but the truth will come out. I have full faith in the court and the Punjab Police,’’ he said.
The mother of the victim then had not raised suspicion against any person for the death of the woman. A postmortem report revealed that the death was caused due to poisoning by aluminium phosphate insecticide. The victim's family later testified before the executive magistrate that they do not suspect any foul play in the death of the woman. She had died on account of consumption of some poisonous substance, the affidavit stated.
The police then forwarded the inquest report in June 2013, which was approved by the sub-divisional magistrate, Patiala in February 2014.
Subsequently, another complaint was filed by the woman's brother which was forwarded to the Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police on October 16, 2024.
Not new to controversies, religious preacher Dhadrianwale a Gurmat Pracharak (preacher) is associated with the Nirvair Khalsa Jatha and has his religious headquarters spread on 33 acres at Gurdwara Parmeshar Dwar on the Patiala-Sangrur highway. He has always faced some opposition, though many politicians across party lines visit him regularly to seek his blessings. He has faced opposition from some Sikh activists and outfits for allegedly distorting Sikh history and misinterpreting Sikh principles with his “self-made” rationality.
He is known for his vociferous criticism of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh as in 2015, Dhadriawale and many other Sikh leaders opposed the pardoning of Ram Rahim in a blasphemy case. He later alleged that he had received death threats. In May 2016, Dhadrianwale had a miraculous escape when he was attacked by unidentified persons near Barewal village in Ludhiana and he was provided security cover by the state police.