Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh verdict: Rajnath Singh assures Manohar Lal Khattar of all help

NEW DELHI: Home Minister Rajnath Singh today assured Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar of all help to deal with any situation which may arise after a court delivers its verdict in a sexual exploitation case against Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, an official said.

In a telephonic conversation, the home minister, who is in Cholpon-Ata in Kyrgyzstan, took stock of the law and order situation in Haryana in view of a large number of followers of the Dera chief arriving in Panchkula, Chandigarh and nearby areas ahead of tomorrow's court verdict.

The chief minister briefed the home minister about the steps taken by the state government to maintain peace in the state, and Singh assured Khattar of help, the official said.

The home minister also spoke to Union home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and instructed him to provide all necessary assistance to the Haryana government.

The Centre has already rushed more than 15,000 paramilitary personnel to Punjab and Haryana for deployment in the two states.

Punjab and Haryana police forces are on high alert to deal with any law and order situation, the official said, referring to the court's verdict tomorrow in a sexual exploitation case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Gurmeet Singh.

The case was registered in 2012 on the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court after anonymous letters were circulated about alleged sexual exploitation of two 'sadhvis' (female followers) by the Dera chief.