Chandigarh, India - A case was today registered by police against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.
The action came a day after the Dera head expressed regret over the "chain of events" that occurred after newspaper advertisements featured him attired like 17th century Sikh Guru Gobind Singh.
The advertisements had led to outbreak of sectarian violence in the state, claiming a life and causing much damage to government and private properties.
The Sirsa-based Dera head has been charged by Punjab Police under section 295-A of the IPC relating to deliberate malicious act intended to outrage the religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or its religious belief, a government spokesman said.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's media advisor Harcharan Singh Bains hoped that the registration of the case "will help in cooling down tempers", but was non-committal on the arrest of the Dera chief. "The law will take its own course," Bains merely said when asked about the possibility of his arrest.