A special CBI court of India on Monday sentenced Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment, media reports said. The Dera chief was convicted of rape on August 25.

The Dera chief apparently sobbed in the courtroom as he begged to be treated leniently and asked to be forgiven, reported Times Now.

Earlier today, CBI judge Jagdeep Singh was flown in a helicopter to Sunaria Jail, where a special court room was set up for pronouncing the quantum of sentence in a rape case, Indian Express said in its report.

A three-tier security ring has been installed around Rohtak’s Sunaria district jail. The administration has issued a stern warning and is keeping vigil in the states of Haryana, Punjab and Delhi ahead of the announcement of sentence considering the violence that broke out after the verdict was announced, according to Indian Express.

Last week, 38 people were killed in the subsequent violence after the court held him guilty of raping two of his followers.

Tens of thousands of police enforced a lockdown in large parts of Haryana and Punjab where Singh, 50, has a mass following, Reuters said.

Police in Haryana issued orders to shoot protesters on sight ahead of the sentencing and ordered the hearing to be carried out inside the prison where Singh was being held.

Hundreds of followers went on the rampage when he was convicted on Friday, attacking train stations, buses and television vans.