Moga village sacrilege: Dera followers’ hand suspected, SIT gets ‘vital clues’ during probe

IN JUNE 2018, MOHINDER PAL BITTU RESIDENT OF KOTKAPURA AND A MEMBER OF STATE COMMITTEE OF THE DERA WAS HELD IN CONNECTION WITH THE BARGARI SACRILEGE

After the involvement of Dera Sacha Sauda followers in the Bargari sacrilege case, their hand is now suspected into another desecration case reported from Moga district in November 2015.

The SIT of Punjab Police, led by deputy inspector general (DIG-Ludhiana range) Ranbir Singh Khatra, has found “vital clues” about involvement of dera followers in the case. The SIT got these clues during the interrogation of Pirthi Singh, a member of the dera state committee, who was brought on production warrants from the Sangrur jail. His questioning concluded on Sunday. Describing it as a breakthrough in the Moga sacrilege case, police officials associated with the investigations said the other dera followers involved in the crime have been identified and are on the radar. “We will soon solve the case,” an SIT member said, requested anonymity.”

When contacted, DIG Khatra said, “We have got clues during the questioning of Prithi Singh in Malke desecration case. We are conducting raids to nab other accused too.”

In June 2018, Mohinder Pal Bittu, a resident of Kotkapura and a member of 45-member state committee of the dera, was arrested in connection with the Bargari sacrilege case, along with two other dera disciples. Bittu later confessed that he had hatched the conspiracy behind the sacrilege. Bittu had allegedly taken directions from a top dera functionary, Rakesh Dirba, who was a personal assistant (PA) of dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

In November 2015, torn pages of Guru Granth Sahib were found on the streets of Malke village in Moga district which triggered tension in the state, once again after the Bargari case that was reported in October 2015.