Honeypreet

“We have clinching evidence to prove that she was main handler of cash in Dera and she sent the money through Dera chief’s personal assistant Rakesh Kumar,” said Panchkula police commissioner AS Chawla. “We have verified she headed the important meeting from testimonies of other arrested Dera members.”

Minutes after Singh was convicted on August 25, his hysterical supporters ran riot across Haryana and Punjab, clashing with security forces, and burning down buildings, vehicles and railway stations. The violence singed even Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Outnumbered in many places, policemen were seen fleeing from mobs that were armed with sticks and stones.

The violence has been widely blamed on the build-up of crowds in Panchkula ahead of the verdict. Honeypreet was arrested from a highway in Punjab last week after absconding for more than a month.

“No conspiracy meeting took place and no followers of the sect were involved in the violence, which was orchestrated by outsiders,” said Honeypreet’s counsel, SK Garg Nirwana who is also the Dera chief’s lawyer.

But police say they are sure Honeypreet is to blame, and are pointing at the testimonies of two arrested sect members – Dera’s Panchkula unit coordinator Chamkaur Singh and Rakesh Kumar.

Both Rakesh Kumar and Chamkaur Singh are are in judicial custody after their arrest last month.

The police have now summoned Dera chairperson Vipassana Insaan to cross check with her the details of the August 17 meeting.

But the worry is that Honeypreet’s laptop and mobile phone, which apparently contains a trove of information about the sect, haven’t been recovered. Her police remand lapses on Friday.