There is heavy police presence outside Rampal's Satlok Ashram
Controversial godman Rampal showed signs of relenting late on Sunday night as his close aides said he would obey the High Court directive and appear before it on Monday if his "health" permits, easing the potential stand-off situation between authorities and his supporters.
As tension continued to mount in Barwala in Hisar, the spokesperson for Rampal's ashram Raj Kapoor said, "Sant Rampalji has, in the past, appeared before the courts, whenever required. We are law abiding citizens..."
Contending that the 63-year-old is not well, he said doctors will again review his health on Monday morning and see if he can travel to Chandigarh, which is about 270 km from Barwala.
"If Sant Rampal feels better tomorrow morning, we will go to the court... we are keeping that option open," Kapoor told reporters on Sunday night.
He added that if Rampal's condition does not improve by then, "We will again give a medical certificate."
The Ashram spokesman ruled out any confrontation between police and Rampal's followers.
"We had said this earlier, we are saying this now again, that we will not enter into any confrontation with the police. However, if they try to forcibly take away Sant Rampal, then first they will have to take our lives," he warned.
His late night statement came after reports that the police is planning to storm the ashram to arrest Rampal, ahead of a High Court deadline for his appearance on Monday.
A large posse of police and paramilitary personnel has been deployed in the area with official sources saying a plan to storm the Satlok Ashram has been kept ready. Meanwhile, efforts are on to persuade Rampal to surrender on his own to avert any violence.
A police official said additional forces have been deployed in Barwala town where several thousands of Rampal's followers, including women and children, have been camping to prevent him from being arrested.
Authorities have imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code or CrPC (which bars assembly of more than four people at one place) at various places, including Barwala, Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali.
Inspector General Anil Kumar Rao and Superintendent of Police Satendar Kumar Gupta said police would abide by the order of the High Court to arrest Rampal and produce him before the court.
Police and paramilitary forces have surrounded the ashram and sealed all roads leading to it.
The High Court had rejected Haryana government's plea that Rampal was unwell and his arrest would create law and order problems.
Noting that the state government lacked willingness to arrest the godman and no sincere efforts were made to produce him before it, the High Court had directed the Haryana Director General of Police and the Home Secretary to ensure that Rampal appears in person before it.
Rampal, the self-styled godman who runs "Satlok Ashram" in Hisar, is facing trial in a 2006 case when his supporters opened fire on villagers, killing one and injuring several others in Rohtak. Since 2010, Rampal has skipped court hearings 42 times, after seeking repeated exemptions.