Why core committee members not arrested yet: HC to Haryana

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday slammed the Haryana police for tardy probe into Panchkula violence following the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmit Ram Rahim in rape case by a CBI court on August 25.

Aditya Insan and some other key dera functionaries are still on the run. They have been booked by Haryana police for inciting violence. Honeypreet, a core group member of dera, was arrested after 38 days of violence from Bathinda.

The full bench comprising justice Surya Kant observed that the Haryana police were portraying as if they were tracking hardened criminals. “But then …the woman was arrested from the neighbourhood… and police (were) claiming they have fled to Nepal,” the bench observed. The HC sought status report from the SIT constituted by the state to probe the violence and also asked to spell out their role clearly in the violence.

During the resumed hearing on the issue, the court observed that from the next date of hearing arguments would start as to who was liable to pay for the damages caused during arson and violence, and then tribunals would be constituted to compensate the victims.

The HC also sought report from the SIT whether alleged ‘Qurbani gang’ existed which the police have been claiming that it was behind the violence.

COURT COMMISSIONER SUBMITS REPORT

Anil Kumar Singh Panwar, the court commissioner, submitted his report on the dera . The report, which also contains video footage, is yet to be made public. During the hearing, the dera counsels objected to the proposal of making videos public. However, the court overruled the objections and asked senior advocate Anupam Gupta to study it so that it helps in adjudication of the mater.

‘POSSIBILITY OF ASSETS REMOVAL FROM DERA NOT RULED OUT’

The government on Wednesday told the high court that it does not rule out the possibility of removal of movable assets, including documents and arms from the dera between August 25 and September 8, when the dera was visited by court commissioner.

Since it was spread on a large 900 acres with multiple gates with one of them opening into bordering Rajasthan, the possibility of removal cannot be ruled out, Haryana advocate general BR Mahajan said. The court observed that Rajasthan too was in India and Haryana should have taken the state’s help.

The court also sought report from the Sirsa SSP asking him to submit whether there was possibility of removal of assets from the dera.