Relatives demand CBI probe into Burari deaths
New Delhi, July 3: The relatives of 11 family members found hanging in their Burari house denounced the police and the media on Tuesday for allegedly labelling the decesed as some sort of religious maniacs and demanded a CBI probe into the case.
Ketan Nagpal, a maternal grandson of deceased septuagenarian Narayani Devi, said: "Every Hindu family worship and performs 'havans', 'paath' and 'kirtans' and so did our family. That is so common in every household and temples. But police has failed to crack the case despite the media reporting on the basis of police probe to paint us as a family of maniacs."
"We are not happy with the Crime Branch investigation so far and demand a fair probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation. We cannot believe Lalit Bhatia indulged in the killing of his family under some mania," Nagpal said.
A Crime Branch team meanwhile visited the family's residence in north Delhi's Sant Nagar and tried to recreate the sequence of crime.
The police also questioned some relatives of the deceased family members, who have since come to Delhi from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, to know whether any of the now-dead family members was in touch with any godman or occultist before their deaths.
"Five stools used by the family for hanging from iron grills have been seized," a senior police officer said, adding that new sashes were used to make the nooses used for hanging.
"The stools were purchased five days ago. When a neighbour asked the family, (one of the deceased) Lalit Bhatia's wife Tina said these were meant for use by children for studies," he said.
"An entry in a diary seized from worship area in the house said that each participant will tie his or her hands during the ritual practice and later untie those of others," the officer added.
"Police is also probing the case from an angle of mental disorder," he said.
The officer claimed that Lalit Bhatia kept two registers and read a 'Laal Kitaab', hinting at mysticism. He had been writing them since 2015 as per the entries. He also mentioned in the notes about his father's visits in his dreams and talks, the officer said.
The texts discussed spirituality, salvation, rituals, and a few dates of last month. Some notes were written on June 27 and 28 on the day of 'Vat Purnima'.
"The notes indicated that Lalit Bhatia believed that his late father was still giving him advice. The notes pointed at one man's hallucinations and delusions of an impending apocalypse," he said.
The officer claimed that Lalit Bhatia, on the day of the crime, allegedly told his family that he had received a message from his late father that he would come to meet them all after a ritual prayer.
"Based on our investigations, it is very likely that Lalit Bhatia tied the hands of the male family members while his wife Tina tied the hands and legs of women family members. He later tied the hands and mouth of Tina and then hung himself during the ritual prayer," he added.
"Experts will examine the handwriting of Lalit Bhatia to match with notes on seized diary and registers. The call records of the entire family are being examining to ascertain whether they were in contact with any occultist or godman, or any personal enmity with the family," Joint Commissioner of Police Alok Kumar said.
As per the preliminary post-mortem reports, all family members died of hanging on Sunday.
The deceased were Narayani Devi, 77, her sons Bhavnesh Bhatia, 50, and Lalit Bhatia, 45, and daughters Pratibha, 57, and Priyanka, 33.
Bhavnesh's wife Savita, 48, and their children Nitu, 25, Monu, 23, and Dhruv, 15, were also found dead, along with Lalit's wife Tina, 42, and their son Shivam, 15.
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Riyan Parag likely to be fined 25 percent of match fees for vaping inside dressing room
New Delhi (PTI): Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag is set to be fined 25 per cent of his match fee for bringing the game into "disrepute" after being caught vaping on camera during the IPL game against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur.
Parag's actions during the Royals' chase on Tuesday night drew condemnation on social media.
PTI has learned that on field umpires Tanmay Srivastava and Nitin Menon had not reported the matter to match referee Amit Sharma right after the game. They only did that after seeing visual proof and Sharma found Parag guilty for a code of conduct breach as per the IPL guidelines.
The Level 1 offences carries 25 per cent deduction from match fees and one demerit point.
"He is set to be fined a portion of his match fees and a demerit point for a Level 1 offence," said an IPL source.
The Indian government had banned e-cigarettes back in 2019, prohibiting their production, sale and distribution. As per the law, the offender faces imprisonment up to one year and/or a Rs one lakh fine for a first time offence.
"Article 2.21 of IPL Code of Conduct is intended to cover all types of conduct that bring the game into disrepute and which is not specifically and adequately covered by the specific offences set out elsewhere in this Code of Conduct, including Article 2.20," the IPL Code of Conduct states.
"By way of example, Article 2.21 may (depending upon the seriousness and context of the breach) prohibit, without limitation, the following: (a) public acts of misconduct; (b) unruly public behaviour; and (c) inappropriate comments which are detrimental to the interests of the game.
"When assessing the seriousness of the offence, the context of the particular situation, and whether it was deliberate, reckless, negligent, avoidable and/or accidental, shall be considered.
"Further, the person lodging the Report shall determine where on the range of severity the conduct lays (with the range of severity starting at conduct of a minor nature (and hence a Level 1 Offence) up to conduct of an extremely serious nature (and hence a Level 4 Offence)."
Since it is a Level 1 offence there was no need for a hearing.
Parag, who has not had the best of times with the bat this IPL, was seen inhaling an e-cigarette, also known as vaping, in the dressing room during the live broadcast of their game against Punjab Kings. Royals won the game to end Kings' unbeaten run in the tournament.
This is not the first controversy to hit the Royals this season. Earlier this month, team manager Romi Bhinder was fined Rs one lakh for breaching PMOA protocol after being found using his phone in the dugout.
IPL and BCCI officials involved in the conduct of the IPL termed it as a careless act in the age of social media and prying TV cameras.
Royals next host Delhi Capitals at home on Friday night.
