Court acquits six Dera followers

A Panchkula court on Monday acquitted six people accused of widespread violence and arson on August 25 last year after the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in two separate cases of rape.

The developments that unfold come as a setback for the special investigating team that investigated the case.

At least 40 persons had died in the violence that erupted in Panchkula and Sirsa, the two epicentres of the violence.

The police had booked several persons in various FIRs that were registered following the violence in Panchkula. The judge acquitted six of them on Sunday for want of evidence.

The investigating team earlier suffered a setback after the court dropped charges of sedition against many of the accused.

The state government had not granted approval to pursue charges of sedition against the many of these accused, which was why the court dropped the charges.

The government sanction is required in case the investigating agency wants to take the case forward on sedition charges.

The jailed sect chief's key aide, Honeypreet, who is currently in jail is facing similar charges. Gurmeet Ram Rahim is undergoing a 20-year jail term for raping two of his disciples.