Chan Punjab Police has formally charged Sikh preacher Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale with rape, murder, and criminal intimidation in connection with a 2012 incident involving the death of a woman in Patiala. The Punjab and Haryana High Court received this update via an affidavit from Punjab Police Director General of Police, Gaurav Yadav.
The case, filed at the Passiana Police Station on December 7, was instigated by a complaint from the victim’s brother. Dhadrianwale, who leads the Parmeshwar Dwar gurdwara in Shekhupura village and commands a significant following both in Punjab and internationally, has responded by asserting his willingness to cooperate with the police investigation.
In a recent video message, Dhadrianwale expressed confidence in the judicial process: “They (the family) have moved the high court. They have a doubt and they should clear their doubt. The high court has said to investigate the case after registering the FIR. It may take some time, but the truth will come out. I have full faith in the high court and the Punjab Police,” he stated.
The legal proceedings have gained momentum after the victim’s brother alleged that his sister was not only raped and murdered but also that the initial police response in 2012 was inadequate. The woman was discovered in an unconscious state outside the gates of the gurdwara on April 22, 2012, and later died in the hospital without giving a statement. Initial investigations, including a postmortem report, suggested death by poisoning due to aluminum phosphate insecticide, without any initial suspicion of foul play from the family.
However, persistent claims by the victim’s sister led to a series of complaints against Dhadrianwale between June and November 2012, which culminated in an official inquiry by the Passiana Police Station. The case complexities were exacerbated by the destruction of records from 2007 to 2014 in October 2020, as noted in the DGP’s affidavit.
The current investigation follows renewed allegations and a complaint filed by the victim’s brother in October 2024, claiming threats against him for pursuing justice against Dhadrianwale. Show-cause notices have been issued to the involved police officials, both retired and active, as part of the ongoing probe.
