Haryana: Self-styled godman Rampal found guilty in two murder cases

HISAR: A local court in Hisar on Thursday convicted self-styled godman Rampal and 22 others in a murder case.
The case is related to the deaths of five women and a child after security forces stormed into Rampal's ‘Satlok’ Ashram in Barwala (Hisar) in November 2014 to arrest him in a contempt of court case.
All 23 accused, including Rampal, were found guilty for murder, illegal confinement and criminal conspiracy.The quantum of sentence would be pronounced on October 16 and 17.
Special court of additional district and session judge, DR Chalia, passed the orders while holding a court inside the central jail Hisar, where the accused are confined.
Rampal and his followers were booked in November 2014 for the murder and several other serious charges after he had stubbornly challenged the directions of high court, in which the court had asked him to appear in person in relation to a contempt of court matter.
As many as 5,375 security personnel, from the state and central forces, were deployed by the Haryana government to arrest Rampal and his aides from the Barwala-based ashram after ten-day-long operation which had ended with his arrest on November 19, 2014.
The entire operation carried to catch Rampal had cost Rs 26 crore to the exchequer. In March 2015, police had submitted challan against him and in July this year, a local court in Hisar had framed charges against him under various serious charges.