Sacrilege Probe: SIT analysed handwriting of 450 suspects to nail accused

CHANDIGARH: Handwriting of nearly 450 suspects was analysed before the SIT could identify the accused who prepared the sacrilege posters that were found pasted at Burj Jawahar Wala and Bargari villages in October 2015, leading to protests and police firing.

The SIT has revealed that some dera followers, who were upset with the state government for imposing a ban on the sect head’s movie, had planned sacrilege incidents. File photo

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 12

Handwriting of nearly 450 suspects was analysed before the SIT could identify the accused who prepared the sacrilege posters that were found pasted at Burj Jawahar Wala and Bargari villages in October 2015, leading to protests and police firing.

This was stated in a report submitted to the CBI for further probe by the SIT, headed by DIG Ranbir Khatra.

The report, a copy of which is with The Tribune, says Kotkapura resident and dera follower Sukjinder, alias Sunny, had prepared the posters using a Reynolds black marker. Gopal Kumar of Bargari village, a member of the action committee against sacrilege incidents, had sold 10 A4 sheets to Shakti Singh of Daggo Romana village, who further gave those to Sunny.

It says members from the personal staff of the Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim were involved in the conspiracy. “The CBI may question them, if it warrants,” said DIG Khatra.

Sources say it was a huge task to collect and analyse such large number of handwriting samples. Every sample took days for analysis. Sunny’s sample was taken only after he was arrested in June.

Dwelling upon the reason behind the sacrilege incidents, the report says some dera followers were upset with the state government for imposing a ban on the dera head’s movie.

Dera follower Mohinder Singh alias Bittu, who is under arrest along with nine others for inciting violence in Moga later, had planned the sacrilege incident, which was supervised by the personal staff of the dera head.

This report is yet to be made public though some parts of it were leaked earlier. The police had declared the role of the dera after main accused Bittu was nabbed.