Hindustan Times (Chandigarh)

Hry police initiate proceeding­s to attach Aditya Insan’s assets

A key aide of jailed Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, Aditya was declared proclaimed offender by state police on May 21 this year as they failed to trace him

- HT Correspond­ent

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana Police have initiated proceeding­s to attach properties of Aditya Insan, a key aide of jailed Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who is absconding and wanted in Panchkula 2017 violence case.

In a status report filed by Panchkula commission­er of police Charu Bali told the Punjab and Haryana high court that the police had declared him proclaimed offender (PO) on May 21, 2018 and a reward of Rs 5 lakh was announced for providing informatio­n about his whereabout­s.

However, as no breakthrou­gh could be made, details regarding his properties are being obtained; and proceeding­s have been initiated to attach his properties, the full bench presided over by justice Surya Kant was told by the Haryana Police on Wednesday during resumed hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL).

The PIL was filed just ahead of August 25 violence to seek direction to authoritie­s to take measures to avoid any untoward incident. As per the police, Insan is the key conspirato­r of violence by dera followers allegedly to free Ram Rahim, who was convicted and sentenced to 20-year jail for rape of two female disciples

on August 25. As many as 36 persons were killed in Panchkula after Ram Rhaim’s conviction.

As per the police, Aditya Insan was seen inciting the crowd to go after security forces during violence.

The bespectacl­ed ophthalmol­ogist

has been the most visible face of the dera for the past 20 years, appearing on television debates to defend Ram Rahim. He has been booked under sedition charge, a non-bailable offence that can lead to life imprisonme­nt.

8 OF 25 MISSING PERSONS TRACED

The court was told that eight of 25 missing persons from the dera premises have been traced so far. Efforts are being made to trace others at religious places, Nam Charcha ghars and other places, the court was informed.

The matter is being probed by anti-human traffickin­g unit of state. Details of these persons have been shared with all the states. A reward of Rs 50,000 have been announced to those who give informatio­n about them, the SIT report says.

NO DATA RETRIEVED FROM DERA HARD DISCS

The court was told that 65 hard discs were seized from dera premises in the combing operation following the violence but nothing can be retrieved from them. Different specialise­d agencies including Central Bureau of Investigat­ion made efforts to retrieve the data but discs were badly damaged, the SIT has told court.

Some more electronic data storage devices have been recovered and data is being retrieved from these devices, the court was told adding that data will be analysed to get more details about allegation­s of movement of assets from the dera.

The court was also told that 240 cases were registered in Haryana for violence reported after conviction of the dera head.

Challans have been filed in 207 cases while 1,483 persons have been arrested. For hatching the conspiracy of violence in Panchkula, 39 accused were arrested and challan presented against 33 persons while 10 are still evading arrest including Aditya Insan.

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