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Sacha Sauda, CBI
come in blasting by son of slain scribe
WSN
Network
Chandigarh: Days after Dera Sacha
Sauda was widely credited for the better showing by the Congress in
Punjab's Malwa region and the meeting of Punjab MLAs with Congress
president Sonia Gandhi where they allegedly advocated a lenient
stance towards the Dera head, the Dera is again in the news. The son
of the journalist, Ram Chander Chhatrapati, in whose murder the Dera
head Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh is facing a CBI case has blasted the
investigating agency for bowing to political pressure.
Anshul Chhatrapati said on Monday that the Congress-led UPA
government has arm-twisted the CBI into changing the investigating
officer in the case, as the dera had supported the party in the
recent Punjab elections. ‘‘The Congress party is trying to return
favours to the dera, and the CBI is following the whims of its
political masters,’’ an agitated Anshul said, speaking to
mediapersons.
The CBI had taken back the murder cases of Chhatrapati, a journalist
who frequently wrote against the dera’s alleged misdeeds, and Ranjit
Singh, a core member of the dera who later fell out with it, from
DSP Armandeep __ believed to be pursuing the probe with vigour. Both
cases have now been transferred to DSP Satish Dagar who is
investigating a case of rape against Gurmit Singh.
What has only added teeth to allegations against the CBI is that the
development came days after newly-elected Congress MLAs from Punjab
reportedly lobbied with party president Sonia Gandhi in favour of
the dera leader. The DSP had made steady progress in both cases and
was reportedly zeroing in on Gurmit Singh, sending jitters in the
dera, which then for the first time came out in the open pledging
support to the Congress. There was talk that in a quid pro quo, the
sect bartered its support for the safety of its chief.
Armandeep had arrested several close associates of the baba, all of
whom are still behind bars. Office bearers of one Janhit Suraksha
Samiti — a local body of activists supporting Anshul in his quest
for justice — said at the meeting that they apprehended the CBI
would now ‘‘attempt to eliminate evidence on record against the baba’’.
CBI officers have in the past played down the transfer and terming
it routine said Armandeep was long back shifted to the
Anti-Corruption Branch from Special Crime Branch of the CBI.
‘‘The timing of the decision has cast a shadow over their (the
CBI’s) intentions,’’ Shivram, the Samiti’s secretary, said even as
Anshul demanded that the bureau file a charge-sheet against the
sect’s leader in court without delay.
‘‘I will be meeting political leaders, including Sonia Gandhi,’’ he
said, adding, ‘‘I have already written a letter to the prime
minister in this regard. I will continue to fight for justice.’’
11 April,
2007
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