Chandigarh, August 24: Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim on Thursday tweeted that he will appear in court on Friday despite having a ‘back ache’. “I have also respected the law. Even though I have a back pain, I will follow the law and be present in the court tomorrow. I have full faith in God. Please maintain calm,” Ram Rahim tweeted. His tweet came even as Punjab and Haryana are on high alert ahead of the CBI court’s verdict in a 2002 rape case against him in Punchkula.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim is accused of raping two of his sadhvis in 2002. the CBI court will on Thursday deliver its verdict in the case.

Lakhs of followers of the Dera, who call themselves ‘Premis’ have gathered in Panchkula ahead of the verdict. Even as reports say that they have stocked up on arms and ammunition, the Dera followers say they are just there for the verdict. “Our Guru can never do wrong, we support him. We will remain calm until the verdict comes,” said a Dera follower as quoted by ANI. “We are with Guru Ji, we have full faith in God that judgment will be in our favour,” said another follower.

Schools and colleges are shut today and tomorrow. Section 144 has been imposed in Panchkula and other parts of Punjab and Haryana. The Chandigarh administration has reportedly decided to convert the Sector-16 cricket stadium into a temporary jail for a day to arrest Dera followers if they break the law.

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has ordered withdrawal of 1,000 police personnel from VVIP security for deployment on field duty to strengthen the security blanket in the state, say reports. 

A total of 85 central companies along with thousands of policemen on the ground will maintain a tight vigil, especially in the vulnerable areas of Moga, Bathinda, Sangrur, Barnala, Patiala and Ludhiana, say ANI reports.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim is accused of raping two of his sadhvis in 2002. the CBI court will on Thursday deliver its verdict in the case.