Explainer: Shoddy probe by Haryana Police leading to acquittals of Dera Sacha Sauda followers
Since February 2025, at least five cases involving over 250 Dera Sacha Sauda followers, accused of rioting in Panchkula on August 25, 2017, have ended in acquittals.
As many as 126 followers, including 124 women, were acquitted on April 23. Nineteen were acquitted in a case related to violence at the Sector 8 Red Light Chowk on April 16, and 29 were acquitted in a case concerning violence at Hafed Chowk, Sector 2, on April 9.
What happened on August 25, 2017, in Panchkula?
On that day, Dera Sacha Sauda followers indulged in rioting while armed with sticks, stones and inflammable materials, following the conviction of dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh by the CBI Special Court in Panchkula for raping two of his women followers. Government offices were vandalised, vehicles torched and hotels and shops ransacked.To date, not one person has received compensation. Even media personnel were not spared—they were chased, assaulted and had their equipment snatched. Two OB vans were set ablaze and vehicles belonging to several journalists were either burnt or severely damaged.
Was the dera chief accused of orchestrating the riots?
In none of the cases is dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh named as an accused.
However, FIR No. 345 of 2017 is considered the most significant among the dera violence cases, as it involves allegations of planning and executing the riots.
The FIR was registered at the Sector 5 police station and names 38 accused, including Honeypreet Insaan, the adopted daughter of the dera chief and Aditya Insaan, the former spokesperson for Dera Sacha Sauda. Honeypreet’s importance is underscored by the fact that she travelled with the dera chief in a helicopter when he was airlifted from Panchkula to Rohtak’s Sunaria jail after his conviction. She later went into hiding and was arrested on October 4, 2017, on the Zirakpur-Patiala highway. Aditya Insaan remains absconding and a cash reward has been announced for his capture. The trial in this case is going on.
How many cases were registered after the riots?
The Panchkula police initially registered 177 cases. Twenty FIRs were later clubbed with others and five cases were cancelled.
Of the remaining 152 cases, the majority —144— were registered at the Sector 5 police station. Investigations have been completed in all of them.
Why are these cases ending in acquittals?
The acquittals are largely due to poor investigations by the Haryana Police.
Most cases against the dera followers are based on confessional statements made in custody. Trial courts have repeatedly ruled that such statements cannot be admitted as evidence due to the restrictions under Sections 25 and 26 of the Indian Evidence Act.
Section 25 states: “No confession made to a police officer shall be proved as against a person accused of any offence.”
Section 26 states: “No confession made by any person whilst he is in the custody of a police officer, unless it be made in the immediate presence of a Magistrate, shall be proved as against such a person.”
Additionally, police officials have failed to identify the accused individuals as the ones who participated in the violence.
How many cases are pending against the dera chief?
At present, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is facing trial in a case related to the castration of male followers. Previously, he was convicted for the murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati and the rape of two female disciples. His appeals in both cases are pending in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He was also convicted in the Ranjit Singh murder case, but was later acquitted by the High Court.
Haryana Tribune