‘DATA RECOVERY FROM HARD DISCS IMPOSSIBLE’

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government on Wednesday told the high court that it has failed to retrieve the data from hard discs seized from the dera headquarters in Sirsa during sanitisation exercise carried out after the August 2017 violence under the supervision of a court-appointed commissioner.

The CBI too was approached for the purpose. However, it conveyed that 65 hard discs of CCTVs installed on dera premises were damaged mechanically with the intention of destroying the data and the recovery is completely impossible. These hard discs were being examined to check whether certain assets were removed from the dera premises after the violence. Some other electronic devices were examined by a state agency but it did not find any clue of movement of assets.

Meanwhile, the court allowed the Haryana Police to de-seal the electronic devices sealed by the court commissioner at the time of sanitisation exercise. The request for the same was made by government on Wednesday.

The court has asked Haryana to share details of data extracted from these devices by the enforcement directorate and income tax department for investigations launched in the wake of allegations of money laundering and violation of tax laws by the dera. Both the central government agencies and Haryana have been asked to submit status reports on their probe on analysis of the data. The court was also told that a total of 240 FIRs were registered in connection with the August 25 violence across the state and in 207 cases, challans have been presented and 1,484 people arrested.

Also, 16 people have been declared proclaimed offenders. Regarding the case of inciting violence registered in Panchkula, the SIT says out of 39 arrested accused, challans have been presented against 36.