Rampal sent to Judicial custody till Nov 28

Rampal was arrested by the police late on Wednesday night from Hisar after a standoff with his followers.

He was produced in Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday morning during which his bail appeal was cancelled.

His lawyers pleaded that he had not obeyed more than 40 summons from the court because he was held in captivity at his ashram. Rampal also advocated that all allegations against him are false and fabricated.

Rampal said he regrets the deaths of his six devotees but added that he never used them as human shield to avoid his arrest.

But the bench denied his appeal and sent him to JC till Nov 28, on which the next hearing will resume.

He has been taken to Panchkula jail.

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.

Prior to that, the 63-year-old was charged with sedition or waging war against the nation on Tuesday night.

Local administration faced massive resistance from Rampal’s armed supporters on Tuesday morning as a result of which the entire area turned to a war-zone.

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, who reportedly fired shots and hurled petrol-bombs at the police.

More than 100 people, including many police persons and journalists were injured during the raid.

Haryana police chief SN Vashishth said at least 3000 people, including women and infants, formed a human barricade outside the ashram who tried to stop police from arresting Rampal.

Several devotees were injured as the police used batons to disperse them.

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, before the godman was arrested in late evening.

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 and labelled contempt of court charges against him.

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.