Jaideep Rathi murder: Five accused sent to four-day police remand

Panipat police on Monday produced the main accused, Jaswant alias Jassi, before the court after completion of eight days’ police remand in the Jaideep Rathi murder case. Four other accused, earlier arrested and lodged in judicial custody, were also produced on production warrants. The court sent all five accused to four days’ police remand.

Jaideep Rathi, younger brother of INLD district president Kuldeep Rathi, was allegedly shot dead over a property dispute. Police said the accused later burnt the body and dumped the remains in a canal to destroy evidence.

On a police plea, the court again remanded Jaswant alias Jassi to four days’ police custody. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) produced Harender Rathi and Ravinder Rathi of Bal Jatan village, Sunil Sharma of Babarpur Mandi and Pritam Singh of Eldeco, who were also sent to four days’ police remand.

Meanwhile, accused Gurdarshan has already been taken on seven days’ remand. Sources said all six accused — Jaswant alias Jassi, Gurdarshan, Harender, Ravinder, Sunil and Pritam Singh — are now in police custody and will be jointly interrogated by the SIT.

During investigation, police said Jaswant alias Jassi and Gurdarshan shot Jaideep inside a car, took the body to a farmhouse-like structure in Chaharwala village of Yamunanagar district belonging to Jaswant, burnt it in a cattle yard using petrol and later dumped the remains in the Narwana branch canal near Ismailabad.

Police carried out a five-day search operation near Dalla Majra village in the Narwana branch canal area, but no remains were recovered, sources added. SP Bhupender Singh said Jaswant alias Jassi was produced after completion of eight days’ remand and taken again on four days’ police custody, while the other accused were also remanded for four days. He said the SIT would further grill the accused to collect more evidence.