DUBAI: Police in the Indian state of Haryana on Friday issued a “lookout notice” for Honeypreet Insan, the adopted daughter of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the controversial guru who was last week sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping two women.
According to local media, airports, bus and railway stations across India have been told to remain on high alert.
“Honeypreet is believed to have conspired to free Ram Rahim from the security cover that was given custody of the Dera (Sacha Sauda) chief after his rape conviction. She also gave a signal to Dera followers to instigate violence after self-styled godman’s conviction,” Haryana Deputy Commissioner of Police Manbir Singh told media.
After he was declared guilty on August 25, Singh reportedly asked for red bag to be delivered from the Dera headquarters in Sirsa, Haryana.
“Ram Rahim demanded the red bag. He said his clothes were in it. Actually, it was a signal for his men to spread the news of his conviction among supporters so that they could resort to causing disturbance,” Panchkula Inspector General of Police KK Rao told Gulf News.
According to local media, police became suspicious as Singh and Honeypreet lingered in the court building after the verdict was announced.
The Haryana state government is reportedly looking into how Honeypreet boarded the helicopter that flew Singh from the Panchkula court to Rohtak jail.
“We are looking into serious allegations of a conspiracy to free Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh after he was convicted in (the) rape case on August 25,” Panchkula Police Commissioner AS Chawla told local media on Friday.
Stations on high alert as Indian police hunt for convicted guru’s daughter
Stations on high alert as Indian police hunt for convicted guru’s daughter
Merz says EU must use frozen Russian assets to pressure Putin
- The EU has laid out a plan to use Russian frozen assets to harness nearly $105bn for a loan to help Ukraine
- Belgium, home to international deposit organization Euroclear, opposes the plan over fear of Russian reprisals
BERLIN: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Wednesday said an EU plan to use frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine’s defense was essential to increase pressure on President Vladimir Putin.
“It is about aid for Ukraine, but it is also about sending a clear signal to Russia that we will use the assets that are available here to help end this war as quickly as possible,” Merz told parliament ahead of a key EU summit.
The European Union has laid out a plan to use the frozen assets to harness 90 billion euros ($105 billion) for a loan to help Ukraine repel Moscow’s forces, with the money to be paid back by any eventual Russian reparations to Ukraine.
But while the plan has the strong backing of many member states, including Germany, it has drawn opposition from others, including Belgium — home to international deposit organization Euroclear, which holds most of the assets — whose leaders fear Russian reprisals.
Merz said on the eve of the summit that “it is not enough for us to dry up the sources of income for the Russian war machine with further sanctions.”
“It is not enough for us in Europe to continue our financial support for Ukraine as before. It is not enough for us to throw all our political weight behind peace negotiations.
“We must do all of this, and we are undoubtedly doing so, but it is clear that the pressure on Putin must be increased even further in order to persuade him to engage in serious negotiations.”
Merz also said he was “aware of the concerns of the Belgian government” and that Germany was “consulting with our partners in order to address them.”
“We do not want to take this step in order to prolong the war,” he added. “We want to take it in order to end the war as quickly as possible.”
