Godman Rampal produced in court, denied bail

His bail given earlier in April  2008 was cancelled by the Punjab and Haryana High Court,  in the case of murder in 2006 for which he has been charged. He has been taken to Panchkula jail.

He said all allegations against him are false and fabricated.

The 63-year-old who has been charged with sedition or waging war against the nation said he regrets the deaths of his six devotees but added that he never used them as human shield to avoid his arrest.

After a two-week stand-off with the police, Rampal was arrested from his Satlok Ashram. The police took him to Chandigarh in an ambulance.

After local administration faced massive resistance from controversial Rampal’s supporters on Tuesday, the Haryana police on Wednesday slapped charges of sedition against the self styled godman and his followers.

Earlier on Wednesday morning, reports emerged that four women have died inside the ashram. A fifth woman, a 20-year-old, reportedly had a heart attack and died at hospital. Death of an 18-month-old infant was also reported.

The police went to arrest Rampal after the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday issued non-bailable warrants (NBWs) against him in a contempt case. The court had ordered the government to arrest Rampal by Friday.

Rampal was charged with murder and other offences that took place on July 12, 2006 after one person died and several others were injured following a violent clash between his followers and another group.

He along with 38 others was being tried in a sessions court of Rohtak.

Rampal, an engineer-turned-guru, reportedly skipped court 43 times in four years in the case.

He was granted bail by the High court on April 2, 2008.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court again summoned Rampal in person after his supporters allegedly attacked a group of lawyers during a hearing on the murder case last month. The controversial guru had managed to avoid arrests despite three warrants since November 5.

Supporters of Rampal had said he is sick and would not be able to travel to the court.

But, the HC rejected the plea, which took strict cognizance of the fact that Rampal’s supporters attacked lawyers. The bench of justice M Jeyapaul rejected Rampal’s counsel’s request for hearing through video-conferencing or more time on account of ill health.

Policemen in riot gear used teargas shells, water-cannons, batons and bulldozers Tuesday to enter controversial guru Rampal's sprawling “Satlok Ashram” at Hisar in Haryana as thousands of his supporters fought to prevent his arrest.