Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, 50, is due to appear at a court in Panchkula, Haryana state, on Friday to hear the verdict in a case involving the rape of two women. Ram Rahim Singh denies the accusations. The crowds in Panchkula, where the court will deliver its verdict, have sparked a massive security deployment across the city. Ram Rahim Singh, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in the long-running case, is one of India's most powerful gurus, with a god-like status. Ram Rahim Singh is described by devotees on numerous websites as a saint as well as an author, inventor, scientist, philosopher, philanthropist, peace activist and "the ultimate humanitarian".

Source: The Star August 24, 2017 22:41 UTC