SSP-led SIT to unravel Mohali murder mystery

Kulwinder Sangha

Mohali, March 20

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today ordered the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) under Mohali SSP Kuldeep Singh Chahal to probe the sensational murder of 40-year-old Ekam Singh Dhillon here yesterday. The CM has also ordered naming Nimardeep Singh, a close friend of Ekam’s wife Seerat, in the FIR registered in this regard.

The 6 feet 3 inches tall businessman Ekam was found murdered and stuffed in a large suitcase that was found in the rear seat of his BMW car parked outside his rented one-kanal accommodation in Phase IIIB1 here yesterday morning.

According to the police, Seerat, wife of the deceased, had confessed killing her husband with a .9mm pistol in the house where the family was living.

Darshan Singh Dhillon, the younger brother of the deceased, told The Tribune this evening that he, his father and Ekam’s two minor children had met Capt Amarinder Singh in Sector 10, Chandigarh.

READ:

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Dhillon claimed that the Chief Minister has ordered the setting up of the SIT under SSP Chahal and also issued orders for including the name of Ekam’s friend Nimardeep Singh in the FIR. He said that Punjab DGP Suresh Arora was asked by the Chief Minister to personally monitor the case. The bereaved family will also be provided security cover, added Dhillon.

Ekam’s brother also claimed that the Chief Minister said if Mohali SP (City) PS Bhandal had not been fair in the investigation, as alleged by Ekam’s family, the SSP should take action against him. He said Ekam’s body would be cremated tomorrow.

Register case against SP Bhandal: Ekam’s father

Earlier in the day, Ekam’s father Jaspal Singh Dhillon, who is a human rights activist, demanded registration of a case against the SP (City) Bhandal for being an alleged accomplice in the case and the formation of a SIT under a senior IPS officer to probe the case.

Addressing mediapersons at his house in Phase VI here, Jaspal said his daughter-in-law, Seerat, had come to the Matour police station in a Porsche car, which was not taken into police possession by Bhandal. He said under the law, the police could not allow the car, which an accused had used for coming to the police station, to be driven away.

He demanded that a case under Section 212 of the IPC should be registered against the SP (City) and he should be immediately arrested.

Jaspal alleged that the Porsche car belonged to Nimardeep Singh, who helped senior bureaucrats invest their money in real estate sector and had links with influential persons. He alleged that Nimardeep Singh also had close relations with his daughter-in-law Seerat.

Ekam’s father, who broke down now and then during the press conference, said he would be taking his son and two minor children to meet Punjab Chief Minister to demand justice. He said he would not cremate the body of Ekam till he was able to meet Capt Amarinder Singh.

He further alleged that as per his information, Nimardeep Singh was in the house at the time of the crime. He said a woman could not stuff the body in a suitcase and bring it down from the first floor all by herself.

Ekam’s brother alleged that Bhandal had threatened him when he told him that his brother had not consumed liquor over the past eight months.

Seerat was reported to have told the police that Ekam had come home under the influence of liquor after which a quarrel broke out between the two.

Reacting to Jaspal Singh’s allegations, the SP (City) told mediapersons later that he did not know Nimardeep Singh and neither had he seen the Porsche car. He denied he had threatened the brother of the deceased, asking why he should issue threats to a person who had lost a member of the family. 

Nimerdeep is influential, has links...

Jaspal alleged that the Porsche car belonged to Nimardeep Singh, in which Seerat had come to the Mataur police station. He alleged that Nimardeep helped senior bureaucrats invest their money in real estate and had links with influential persons. He was close to Seerat.

...but yet to be named in FIR

Acting on the CM’s order, a SIT, headed by Mohali SSP Kuldeep Singh Chahal and comprising DSP City-1 Alam Vijay Singh and Matour SHO Baljinder Singh Pannu has been formed, the SSP disclosed on Monday evening. However, Seerat’s friend Nimardeep has not yet been named in the FIR despite the Chief Minister’s directive. “We have not added Nimardeep’s name to the FIR as yet,” confirmed Chahal, while adding that proper probe will be conducted in the case and anybody found guilty will not be spared.