Never Ever Met Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in my Life: Akshay Kumar

Akshay Kumar has denied the claims of knowing Ram Rahim in a statement issued after being linked to him in connection to a sacrilege case that took place in 2015

New Delhi: A day after being summoned by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) which is investigating police firing incidents during the 2015 sacrilege controversy, Bollywood superstar Akshay kumar denied having any association with Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

Notably, the Bollywood actor’s name cropped up in  Justice Ranjit Singh Commission report which claimed that a meeting was held between former deputy chief minister Sukhbir and Dera Sacha Sauda sect head at Akshay’s flat in Mumbai in connection with the release of film ‘MSG: The Messenger’.

“I have never ever met Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in my life, anywhere. I learnt from social media at some point that Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh resided for a while at some place in my locality Juhu, in Mumbai but we never ever crossed each other’s paths,” the actor said in a statement on Twitter.

He added,”Over the years I have delicately made films promoting the Punjabi culture and the rich history and tradition of Sikhism through films like ‘Singh is King’, ‘Kesari’ etc. I am proud of being a Punjabi and have the highest regard for the Sikh faith.I shall never do anything that would even remotely hurt the sentiments of my Punjabi brothers and sisters for whom I have utmost respect and love.”

Besides Kumar, former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son Sukhbir Singh Badal was also summoned by the SIT.  While Parkash Badal was asked to appear before the SIT of Punjab Police on November 16, Sukhbir and Akshay was asked to come before November 19 and November 21 to the Circuit House in Amritsar.

Earlier, the SIT had examined ADGP Jitendra Jain, then IG of Bathinda; IGP Paramraj Singh Umaranangal, then Commissioner of Ludhiana; IGP Amar Singh Chahal, then DIG of Ferozepur Range; MS Jaggi, then DC of Faridkot; SS Mann, then SSP of Faridkot; VK Syal, then SDM of Faridkot and Mantar Singh Brar, then MLA in Kotkapura.