Sikh preacher Dhadrianwale booked for rape, murder: Punjab Police tells HC
Chandigarh (PTI): Punjab Police has registered a case against Sikh preacher Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale in a 2012 case of alleged rape and murder of a woman in Patiala, the Punjab and Haryana High Court was informed.
The FIR under section 302 (murder), 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered at Passiana Police station in Patiala on December 7, according to an affidavit filed by Punjab Police Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav before the high court on Tuesday.
The FIR was lodged on a complaint filed by the victim's brother, a Patiala resident.
Sikh preacher Dhandrianwale, who heads Parmeshwar Dwar gurdwara, a dera in Shekhupura village in Patiala, has a large following in Punjab and among the Punjabi diaspora abroad.
Dhadrianwale, in a video message, said he would cooperate with the police investigation.
"They (the family) have moved the high court. They have a doubt and they should clear their doubt. The high court has said investigate the case after registering the FIR. It may take some time but the truth will come out. I have full faith in the high court and the Punjab Police," the Sikh preacher said.
The DGP's affidavit came after the victim's brother alleged that his sister was raped and murdered. He further alleged that no action was taken by police at the time of the incident.
The petition of the woman's brother was taken up in November and during the previous hearing, the bench presided over by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu had asked the DGP to explain as to what action has been taken against officials who handled the case in 2012.
The woman was found in an unconscious condition outside the gate of gurdwara Parmeshwar Dwar on April 22, 2012. She later died at a hospital before she could make any statement, according to the affidavit of the DGP.
The mother of the victim then had not raised suspicion against any person for the death of the woman.
A postmortem report revealed that the death was caused due to poisoning by aluminum phosphate insecticide.
The victim's family later testified before the executive magistrate that they do not suspect any foul play in the death of the woman. She had died on account of consumption of some poisonous substance, the affidavit stated.
The police then forwarded the inquest report in June 2013, which was approved by the sub-divisional magistrate, Patiala in February 2014.
According to the affidavit, the sister of the deceased filed four complaints from June 19, 2012 to November 9, 2012 for taking action against Dhadrianwale.
An inquiry into the matter was conducted by the then Station House Officer, Passiana Police station and recommendation was made for filling the said complaints.
The DGP affidavit said show-cause notices have been issued to then deputy superintendent of police Sewa Singh Malhi (who is now retired) and then SHO Ashok Kumar (now SP) on December 7.
According to the office procedure, the records for the years January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2014 have been destroyed in October 2020, according to the DGP affidavit.
It further said on December 21, 2023, the woman's brother had alleged that he was threatened by some persons not to raise his voice against Dhadrianwale.
Subsequently, another complaint was filed by the woman's brother which was forwarded to the Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police on October 16, 2024
The affidavit said that a case has been registered against Dhadrianwale on the complaint of the petitioner and the case is under investigation.
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TVK chief should be given opportunity to prove majority in TN Assembly: Omar
Srinagar (PTI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said there was no justification for the Tamil Nadu governor to stop TVK leader Vijay from forming the government, and he should be provided an opportunity to prove majority in the assembly.
Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Thursday rejected TVK chief Vijay's claim to form the government, stating that his party lacks the requisite numbers.
The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has fallen short of meeting a simple majority to form the government in Tamil Nadu. Though the Congress with five MLAs has offered support to TVK, Vijay's party falls short of a simple majority of 118 in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly.
Abdullah said there was no justification for President's rule in Tamil Nadu in view of numerous Supreme Court judgements emphasising on inviting the single largest party to form the government and then prove its majority on the floor of the house.
"If we see the Supreme Court judgement, then there should be no President's rule. There are so many cases in which the SC has clearly stated that after the elections, the single largest party should be invited (for government formation) and they should be allowed to prove their majority in the assembly," Abdullah told reporters here when asked about the political situation in Tamil Nadu.
"It happened when (former prime minister) (A B) Vajpayee formed the government for 13 days, the President of India did not wait for him to show his numbers. The President of India invited him, the government was there for 13 days, but when Vajpayee did not have the numbers, he resigned," he said.
So, if we take the SC judgement, the J-K CM added, then the Tamil Nadu Lok Bhavan "has no justification to stop this process".
"Vijay should be allowed to form the government, and then he should be provided an opportunity to prove his majority and if he proves, he will remain, but if not, then he will have to resign," Abdullah said.
To a question on whether there would be impact of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Jammu and Kashmir, the CM said its impact remains to be seen in the rest of the country first as the assembly elections in the Union territory were not due till 2029.
"As of now it (SIR) has happened in Bengal only. Why are you worried about J-K? The elections are not to take place here till 2029. Let us first see its impact in the rest of the country. What we had to suffer (in J-K), we have. We suffered their delimitation, which was done to benefit the BJP and its friends. Let's see what happens in the future," he said.
On the reported remarks of Leader of Opposition in the J-K assembly, Sunil Sharma, that if the chief minister goes for cabinet expansion, then his party, the National Conference (NC), would suffer like the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and someone like Eknath Shinde would emerge here as well, Abdullah said all his MLAs stand firmly with the party.
"This tells about the intentions of the BJP. 'Aaya Ram Gaya Ram' (turncoats). Eknath Shinde left because the BJP helped him to leave. It is obvious that the LoP is impatient to hold the chair of the chief minister of J-K. I will only tell him that there is no Eknath Shinde in the National Conference. NC's MLAs stand firmly with the party," he said.
Abdullah said the cabinet expansion is on hold because statehood has not been restored to J-K.
"Cabinet expansion is not on hold because of any fear and that is why I regularly say that the LoP proves through statements like this that till the BJP does not get power, they will not allow us to work smoothly and will not make J-K a state again," he said.
Hitting out at the LoP and the BJP, the J-K CM said the people of J-K, especially those who voted for the BJP in the last elections, should remember that the LoP and his party "indulge in the politics of blackmail and the people here are intimidated in the name of statehood".
