Of 10 FIRs, SIT got sanction in only 2 to slap sedition charge

PANCHKULA: The Haryana Government, which is facing criticism after a local court dropped the sedition charge against 53 accused in the dera violence case in the absence of prosecution sanction, has given prosecution sanction in only two FIRs to slap the sedition charge on dera followers.

Rajinder Nagarkoti

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, February 19

The Haryana Government, which is facing criticism after a local court dropped the sedition charge against 53 accused in the dera violence case in the absence of prosecution sanction, has given prosecution sanction in only two FIRs to slap the sedition charge on dera followers.

After the dera violence in August last year, in which 36 people were killed and over 200 injured, the Panchkula police had registered 239 FIRs in different police stations.

Of the 239 FIRs, the sedition charge was slapped against the accused in 10 FIRs.

The special investigation team (SIT) of the Haryana Police had sought prosecution sanction from the state Home Department for slapping the sedition charge against dera followers in all these 10 FIRs. Surprisingly, the state government has given sanction only in two FIRs while declining sanction in two other FIRs. Besides, the prosecution sanction in six cases is still pending with the government.

Confirming the development, IG Mamta Singh said they had got sanction only in two cases while in two other cases, the sanction had been declined by the government. Six cases were still pending with the government, she said.

Panchkula Police Commissioner AS Chawla said their focus was on two cases — the Panchkula violence conspiracy and the dera chief’s escape bid. In both these cases, the prosecution sanction to include the sedition charge had been given by the government, he said.

On the order of the Panchkula court to drop the sedition charge and the attempt-to-murder charge against 53 accused, Chawla said a legal team was examining the order.

Got govt’s prosecution sanction against Honeypreet

The SIT has got prosecution sanction from the government to slap the sedition charge against dera chief’s adopted daughter Honeypreet in FIR No. 345 registered at the Sector 5 police station. Besides Honeypreet, dera chief’s aides Surinder Dhiman, Chamkaur Singh, Daan Singh, Dilawar Singh, Rakesh Kumar, Khairati Lal and Govind Ram are among the accused.

SIT to move plea for declaring Aditya PO

The SIT will move an application in the Panchkula court to declare dera spokesperson Aditya Insan a proclaimed offender. Aditya Insan, on whom the state had announced a Rs 5 lakh reward, is absconding since the dera violence.