Chandigarh, September 24
Justice M.M. Aggarwal today appointed a warrant officer to visit the Dera Sacha Sauda, Sirsa, so as to establish the veracity of allegations levelled in a habeas corpus petition by a Bathinda resident.

The petitioner, Sukhjit Kaur, averred that her daughter, Suminder Kaur, who was a niece of Khatta Singh, a prime prosecution witness in the murder and rape cases against the Dera Sacha Sauda head, was being kept in illegal custody in the dera.

Following the submissions, Justice Aggarwal also directed that the SHO concerned and other senior officials of the police should assist the warrant officer in locating the girl. Also, if the girl was found in the dera, her statement should be recorded after verifying her age. Also, the warrant officer should ask the girl if she was staying there on her own accord or not.The court’s directions came in the wake of a petition by Sukhjit Kaur, who sought directions for the production of her daughter while alleging that she was not being allowed to attend the ‘antim ardas’ of her father.

Sukhjit Kaur further levelled serious allegations against district police officials, the dera head, and in charge of the dera.She averred that once their family was a follower of the dera as a result of which Suminder Kaur was allowed to stay there.Incidentally, Suminder Kaur’s father had expired on September 16 and his bhog ceremony was to be held on September 25.

Sukhjit Kaur further averred that her relatives had gone to bring Suminder back home from the dera but were told that they would have to bring Khatta Singh to the dera first. Significantly, Khatta Singh is one of the prime prosecution witness and has allegedly given a statement against the dera head to the CBI. The petitioner said Khatta Singh was a real uncle (mama) of the detenue (Suminder).

The petitioner also said the detenue had informed her younger sister over phone that she had been consistently asked to bring her uncle one way or the other to the dera.The judge asked the warrant officer to submit a report and adjourned the hearing for October 5.

Tribune