Probe against dera chief was ‘game of wits’, recalls former CBI official

The case was registered on December 12, 2002, and suddenly I found a senior CBI official entering my room and directing me that the case needs to be closed and no action should be taken.

NEWDELHI: With a senior directing them to close the case and the woman who alleged sexual abuse getting married, it was a “game of wits” for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team that probed the rape case against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, recalled a retired CBI official on Friday.

As a special CBI court in Panchkula convicted the dear chief, triggering widespread violence, it was flashback time for former CBI joint director Mulinja Narayanan, who headed the probe.

“It was a game of wits. Sometimes we won and sometimes we lost but, at the end, today’s verdict showed that no one can escape the law,” he said.

Narayanan was posted as deputy inspector general of police (special crimes) in Delhi when the Punjab and Haryana high court handed the case to the CBI in September 2002.

“The case was registered on December 12, 2002, and suddenly I found a senior CBI official entering my room and directing me that the case needs to be closed and no action should be taken,” the retired officer told PTI.

Taking cue from this “unsolicited” advice, Narayanan said he sensed there were many skeletons in this cupboard and decided to probe all aspects of the case. “Later, many politicians and business persons walked into the CBI headquarters and put lot of pressure to close the case. But thanks to the judiciary, we could manage to complete our investigation,” he said.

Narayanan was the first official in the CBI who rose from the post of sub-inspector to joint director. He also spoke about the difficulties in investigating the case.

“The girl, who had been sexually abused in 1999, had since left the dera and got married. It was a daunting task to convince her as well as her family members. Thankfully, I played the role of a father for her and ensured that she not only gives her statement but also testifies before a magistrate. I wanted to ensure that no one plays dirty and weakens the case later. Therefore, I got the statement of the girl recorded before a magistrate ,” he said.