HC judge recuses from hearing Honeypreet's bail plea

A Punjab and Haryana High Court judge has recused himself from hearing a bail plea filed by Honeypreet, the adopted daughter of convicted Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

She is in jail in connection with violence that broke out in Panchkula in Haryana on August 25, 2017, following the conviction of the Dera chief.

The case will now be put up before the Chief Justice so that the matter can be assigned to another bench.

Her counsel said she had no role in the violence and her name was subsequently added to the first information report (FIR).

The self-styled godman was sentenced to 20 years in jail in August 2017 for raping two women.

A special CBI court in Panchkula in January also sentenced him and three others to life imprisonment for the murder of a journalist over 16 years ago.

Ram Rahim's conviction had led to violence in Panchkula and Sirsa, leaving 41 people dead and over 260 injured.