After Dera violence, Haryana CM Khattar meets BJP President Amit Shah

The Dera followers went rioting in Haryana's Panchkula and Sirsa leading to the deaths of 36 people.

The violence which erupted in Haryana drew Khattar's widespread criticism for failing to maintain the law and order situation in the state.

However, Khattar, remained mum on the possibility of  his resignation as he avoided the question of the reporters saying: "Let people say whatever they want."

He insisted that the peace in Haryana has been maintained and the situation is normal.

As the entire country waited with bated breath, Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was sentenced to 20-year-jail term by a special Central Bureau of Investigation judge on Monday for raping  his Sadhvis (female followers) in 2002.

The judge was flown by a government helicopter to conduct court at a prison in Haryana's Rohtak to avoid any further violence.

Ram Rahim Singh will serve two consecutive 10-year jail terms, the CBI stated while clarifying the quantum of imprisonment.

He has also been fined Rs. 15 lakh in each case.

The prosecution demanded maximum punishment for the rape convict while the Dera chief's defence argued that Ram Rahim is a social worker and urged the judge to take a lenient view.

The CBI urged the judge to treat the case as 'rarest of rare' during its argument.

Reports said that the Dera chief broke down in court and pleaded for leniency while the judge was reading out the sentence.

Ram Rahim will be medically examined and then will don prison clothes as prisoner number 1997 at the Rohtak jail.

Ram Rahim was convicted by the CBI court on Friday in a rape case that dates back to 2002.

Image: Official Facebook page of Manohar Lal.