After HC rap, preacher Dhadrianwale booked for 2012 sexual assault, murder
Weeks after the Punjab and Haryana High Court rapped the Punjab Police in the case, an FIR has been registered against preacher Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale on the charges of “sexual assault and murder of a woman at his dera” 12 years ago.
The FIR was lodged at Passiana police station in Patiala on December 7 under IPC Sections 302 (murder), 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation). The woman’s brother had complained to the Punjab DGP on November 26. The complainant, a resident of Bhawanigarh Road at Samana in Patiala, had not only sought legal action against Dhadrianwale for the alleged rape and murder of his sister, but also demanded protection for himself.
The FIR — The Tribune has a copy — mentioned that the woman was allegedly poisoned to death by the preacher on April 22, 2012. “Poison was detected in post-mortem too. We filed a number of complaints, including those on June 11, 2012, and September 8, 2023, but no action was taken,” read the FIR.
The complainant alleged that the “preacher raped and murdered his sister and when his family protested, their house was demolished”. “He (Dhadrianwale) threatened us not to raise our voice again, else he will get all our family members killed. We have been living under constant threat for long and waiting for justice. This is yet another representation seeking protection for my life and liberty and to take legal action against the culprit so that my deceased sister and our family can get justice,” the woman’s brother alleged.
On December 3, less than a fortnight after the Punjab Police was rapped for “novel and extra-legal method” of conducting an inquiry without registering an FIR, the High Court asserted that the case revealed a grim reality.
Chief Justice Sheel Nagu had asked the Punjab DGP to explain “whether the tendency of conducting a preliminary inquiry to assess the veracity of allegations in the ‘first information’ had been stopped”. The Chief Justice also asked the DGP to elaborate upon the action taken against “erring police officers”. The directions came on a petition seeking the registration of a murder case against Dhadrianwale. Sources said the police had also initiated legal proceedings against the then SHO and the DSP (who has retired).
Reacting to the developments, Dhadrianwale said the “case was very old and pertained to suicide, with nothing being found even during post-mortem”. “The autopsy was conducted after the suicide incident near our (dera) gate. I am innocent and have full faith in the High Court and the Punjab Police. I will join the investigation, no matter which probe agency calls me,” the preacher said.
