Kin of shooting accused allege harassment
GURUGRAM: Two days after the personal security officer (PSO) of an additional district and sessions judge was arrested for shooting the judge’s wife and son outside Arcadia Market in Sector 49, the family of the accused PSO, Mahipal Singh, alleged harassment from the police. They said that Mahipal’s family, including his wife, mother and two daughters, had been put in a condition akin to a ‘house arrest’.
Mahipal’s maternal uncle, 45-year-old Dan Singh, a resident of Kosli, 63km from Gurugram, said that police had barged into his house around 3am on Sunday morning and taken Mahipal’s mother away for questioning.
“The crime team picked up my sister for questioning, without a proper warrant. The police have barred the entry of anyone into the house and security people have been stationed outside their house in the Police Lines. The police have asked everyone to switch off their phones,” alleged Dan Singh.
Refuting the allegations, Sumit Kuhar, deputy commissioner of police (West) said that police was monitoring the movements of the family since the motive of the crime was still unclear.
Meanwhile, the police on Monday said they found “nothing concrete” to explain the motive for the crime. A special investigation team visited the crime spot on Monday and checked CCTV footage in the area. They were not able to find any footage of the actual shooting; all videos circulated on social media were taken after the shoot out.
On Sunday, the police had refuted claims that Mahipal was
POLICE SAY THEY ARE MONITORING THE FAMILY’S MOVEMENTS SINCE THE CRIME’S MOTIVE IS STILL UNCLEAR
mentally disturbed, adding that a medical examination had confirmed that he was stable. He was terminated from service under Article 311 (2) of the Indian constitution.
The police on Monday also questioned Mahipal’s wife and his cousin, 23-year-old Manoj Koshal, who was rounded up from Kosli on Sunday. He was let off around 8.30pm, the police said.
Dan Singh said that family was shocked by the incident. “Mahipal called Manoj, shortly after shooting the duo. He asked him to take his mother to Kosli in Rewari, over 63km from the city, as he feared his family would be harassed by the police.
Alreena Senapati, Mahipal’s legal aid counsel, said that the accused was aware of the charges against him and showed no remorse when he was produced in the district court on Sunday for remand. He said he knew the charges against him — he has been booked for murder and attempt to murder
On Saturday, Mahipal, who had taken Ritu Garg (38) and Dhruv Garg (18) for shopping, had allegedly shot them near Arcadia Market in Gurugram’s Sector 49, and fled in the judge’s car, as bystanders looked on.
SON STILL CRITICAL
Dhruv Garg, 18, son of the district and sessions judge Krishan Kant and a Class 12 student of humanities, is reported to be critical and on life support.
A major blood vessel in his head burst when the bullet hit him. He was conscious when he was rushed to the hospital, but has been unresponsive since then. Dr PN Kakkar, CEO, Park Hospital, Sector 47, said that the major blood vessel burst open when he was shot and he suffered other serious injuries in the head. The body of Ritu Garg, 38, the judge’s wife, was cremated around 2.30pm in Hisar.
She was shot on the chest and died due to excessive bleeding and low BP.