Sidhu Moosewala killing: Differences crop up between state, Delhi cops over inquiry

Sukhmeet Bhasin

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Bathinda, June 11

Thirteen days have passed since the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, but the police have failed to trace his killers. They have made arrests and brought many persons on production warrants from various jails, but most of them were involved in recce, providing logistic support and weapons.

Now, it seems differences are emerging in the probes conducted by the Punjab Police and their Delhi counterparts in the case.

Earlier, the Delhi Police had released a list of eight sharpshooters, including Harkamal Ranu of Bathinda. But after Harkamal’s detention by the Punjab Police, it is learnt that he is not a sharpshooter.

A senior Punjab Police officer involved in the probe said Harkamal provided logistic support to the other accused but was not a sharpshooter.

Another police officer said: “The list of eight sharpshooters was issued by the Delhi Police, while we are taking forward the probe as per the leads we are getting. Moreover, no one can ascertain yet about the number of killers involved in the crime, although the SIT has identified four attackers so far.”

As per Harkamal’s family members, after the singer’s murder, the Bathinda CIA police called him and he went to the cops on June 1, where he was told to hand over his mobile phone. Later, his family members themselves handed over Harkamal to the police. Notably, Harkamal, a drug addict, is facing 11 criminal cases. He has also fled the police custody in the past.

Meanwhile, the accused arrested in the case were presented before a court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Mansa on Saturday. The court has extended the police remand of Sandeep, alias Kekra, and sent Monu Dagar, Pawan and Naseeb Khan along with Manpreet Manna, Manpreet Bhau, Saraj Mintu, Prabhdeep Singh Pabbi and Charanjit Singh Chetan to 14-day judicial remand.

Moreover on Friday, the Bathinda police brought gangster Lali Maud on a production warrant from the Ferozepur jail. The police have got three-day remand of Lali Maud for questioning. Being in the Ferozepur jail, he also had a close relationship with Manpreet Manna.