Six Dera followers acquitted in Chandigarh rioting case

A local court in Chandigarh has cleared six followers of Dera Sacha Sauda of charges related to a 2017 rioting incident. The court found that the prosecution could not prove its case against them. The incident occurred after the conviction of Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim by a special CBI court in Panchkula. Authorities believed the accused planned to create disturbances in Chandigarh following the verdict. The six individuals acquitted are Maninder Singh, Ranjit Kumar, Dharminder, Krishan Pal, Anup Singh, and Sukhwinder Singh. In August 2017, the Chandigarh Police registered a case against them under several sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act. Police had detained these followers when they attempted to enter the city, suspecting their intention to incite violence.