Controversial guru Rampal at a police station in Panchkula
Rampal Maharaj, the 63-year-old guru who was arrested from his fortified ashram in Haryana last night, has said he regrets the deaths of six of his followers, but stressed that he did not use his devotees as a human shield in a lengthy and violent stand-off with the police.
Here are the 10 latest developments in this story:
The self-styled "godman" was produced in a contempt case at a Chandigarh court today; his lawyers pleaded that he had not obeyed more than 40 summons from the court because he was held in captivity at his ashram. Hearing was adjourned to November 28.
The court has sought a detailed report on the police operation to arrest Rampal. The court observed that there must be checks on deras or cults run by self-styled gurus like Rampal.
Rampal was arrested on Wednesday night, more than 24 hours after the police stormed the heavily-guarded ashram compound using water cannon, tear gas and batons.
This morning, Rampal's bail was cancelled in a murder case. He is accused of ordering his disciples to fire on villagers during clashes in 2006 in which one person was killed and scores injured.
The police scoured the 12-acre ashram this morning for explosives. Rampal had barricaded himself into the 12-acre ashram guarded by devotees armed with stones, petrol bombs and other weapons after a court issued a warrant for his arrest earlier this month.
Police say they have arrested more than 500 devotees, including 250 members of a "private army" dedicated to his protection.
Police believe around 2,000 followers are still inside the compound, and officers are using loud-speakers to urge them to come out.
Yesterday, the dead bodies of four women and a baby were handed over to the police from within the ashram. Autopsy reports do not show injuries on the corpses. Another woman died after being moved to hospital.
Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar said no one had died as a result of the police operation, although around 100 people are being treated for injuries. "Our plan was to achieve this (arrest) without a single person having to lose his life. We have been completely successful in this," he said to NDTV.
Rampal, a former engineer who considers himself an incarnation of the 15th-century mystic poet Kabir, denies the charges against him which include sedition.
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