Fresh non-bailable warrant issued against controversial 'godman' Rampal

Chandigarh The Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued a fresh nonbailable warrant NBW for November 21 against controversial selfstyled godman Rampal after he failed to appear in a contempt case with his counsel saying he was unwellHours after 63yearold Rampal failed to appear before the court and sought more time his supporters claimed that he has been taken from his ashram in Barwala in Hisar district to an undisclosed destination for treatmentIn the High Court a twojudge bench while issuing the NBW also directed the governments of Haryana and Punjab the Union Government and the Chandigarh Administration to file a statement detailing the expenses incurred in making security arrangements for Rampals court appearanceThe bench comprising justices M Jeyapaul and Darshan Singh had earlier in the morning reserved its verdict after hearing the state government amicus curiae and the defence counselThe court directed the Director General of Police and Home Secretary of Haryana to remain present in the court at the next hearing on November 21The court directed the two state governments the Union Government and the Chandigarh Administration to file the statement of expenses on security arrangements at the next hearing on FridayShortly after the HC had reserved its verdict in the morning a spokesman of Satlok Ashram Raj Kapoor claimed that Rampal was whisked away by them from his ashram at Barwala to an undisclosed destination for treatmentRampal has cited health reason and failed to appear in the High Court on three dates November 5 November 10 and latest being todayThe District Administration in Hisar has meanwhile asked Rampals followers who have been sitting in and around the ashram to disperse from the areaHisar District Magistrate M L Kaushik has issued an order asking all the followers including women and children to disperse immediately an official spokesman said in HisarThe spokesman said the administration would press into service buses to transport the followers to the bus stand and the railway station for their onward journeysThe followers have also been asked not to act as a hurdle in the judicial process against RampalEarlier in the High Court the Haryana government told the bench that it was taking steps to comply with the court order but it has to take every step carefully as a number of women and children were present in the Satlok AshramThe High Court had on Monday last pulled up the Haryana government for failing to produce Rampal against whom a NBW was issued recently in a contempt case It had set a deadline of today for his productionRampals counsel S K Garg told the bench that Rampal was unwell and not in a position to travel from Barwala to hereHe is unwell We are not avoiding court appearance He has been appearing on past occasions Give us some timeonce he feels better he will appear the counsel told the benchOn behalf of the state government Home Secretary and the DGP appeared before the court Advocate General Baldev Raj Mahajan told the court that the state was taking steps to comply with the court orderHe pleaded that since a number of women and children were present at the ashram where Rampal was present the police and administration had to take every step carefullyWith regard to the issue of cancellation of Rampals bail in the 2006 murder case the bench posted the matter for tomorrow asking the defence counsel to file their reply by thenSenior advocate Anupam Gupta who is amicus curiae in the case told reporters outside the court that on behalf of the Haryana government the AG filed an affidavit submitting that any immediate attempt to arrest Rampal would result in casualties and therefore the government and the police are trying to devise ways and means to implement courts orderGupta said that he however submitted that not implementing the orders of the court would result in complete disorder lawlessness and anarchyOn the affidavit filed by Haryana DGP S N Vashisht before the court Gupta said he told the court that the affidavit withholds a vital and seminal fact which has been suppressed from the High CourtAlleging that the entire police force and security deployed around Rampals ashram was withdrawn suddenly last evening he said the failure to present Rampal before the court was a complete abdication of authority by the StateGupta said that if the government does not produce Rampal before the High Court in three days contempt of court notices should be issued by Friday to Chief Minister M L Khattar who holds the charge of the Home MinistryAs per my information after heavy deployment of police forces yesterday in and around the ashram in Barwala the entire police force and security bandobast was suddenly withdrawn last evening Gupta allegedThere was no police force in and around the ashram throughout last night and early morning today I stated that this has been suppressed by the state government and DGP Haryana he saidHe also submitted that not being able to secure Rampal was a complete abdication of authority by the State Why did they not move in late evening and at night and why they withdrew forces last night