By IANS
New Delhi : The Dera Sacha Sauda's bid to seek early intervention by the Supreme Court over its stand off with the Akal Takht proved futile Monday with the apex court holding that it will only take up the plea on June 4.
A bench of Justices Arijit Pasayat and D.K. Jain refused to take up the matter for early hearing, saying it would do so on the previously fixed date of June 4.
The response came on a plea by Dera counsel V.K. Ohri, who told the court that the Dera still faced an Akal Takht ultimatum to vacate all its centres in the country and stop its activities by May 27.
The court, however, refused to accept Ohri's plea, made for the second time since Friday, when it had fixed June 4 to hear the Dera petition.
Despite the earlier order, Ohri had Friday urged the court to allow him to mention the matter yet again Monday. The court had given him permission for this.
The bench had posted the matter for June 4 observing that "these problems could be better solved politically at the government level".
The petition, filed by Dera trustee and vice chairman Abhijit Bhagat, prayed for an order to various states to protect the life, liberty and property of the Dera followers and sect units.
Besides filing the petition, Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has also tendered an apology, which the Akal Takht is to take up for consideration Tuesday.