`Panchkula violence planned in Sirsa'

PANCHKULA: The conspiracy by Dera Sacha Sauda followers to trigger violence in Panchkula on August 25 was reportedly hatched at the dera headquarters in Sirsa on August 17, the day the special CBI court had reserved its verdict in the rape cases against Gurmeet Ram Rahim.

This was disclosed by Panchkula police in a local court on Wednesday while seeking 14 days' police remand for Honeypreet Insan. Sources said police had vital clues to indicate that the August 25 violence, in which 36 people were killed, was planned well in advance, and that they needed to question Honeypreet about it.

The state government's counsel argued in court that the police needed Honeypreet's custody to verify her role in the August 17 meeting. However, her counsel contested the police's claims, arguing that she had been arrested in connection with the conspiracy hatched on August 25 to incite violence and that the police could not at this stage link her to an old conspiracy. Police officials, however, insisted they needed to make crucial recoveries from Honeypreet, including SIM cards, mobile phones and other material from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. The court allowed six days' police remand and ordered that she undergo regular medical examinations.


Honeypreet, on the run for 39 days before being arrested on Tuesday , broke down in court. Claiming innocence, she told the court she had been falsely implicated. S K Garg Narwana, who appeared for Honeypreet, told the court, “She came with her father in heavy police security . All were in a good mood but unfortunately the verdict came against them. She was immediately taken to Rohtak with the dera chief in a helicopter.Under such circumstances, she cannot be held responsible for any conspiracy related to the August 25 violence.“

Objecting to Honeypreet's remand, lawyer Pradeep Arya, who also appeared for her, said police had failed to specify anything for which her remand was required.

Haryana and Punjab cops disagree on Honeypreet's Bathinda hideout
The big house in dusty Balluana village where the Dera Sacha Sauda chief's “adopted daughter“, Honeypreet Insan, is believed to have spent some time before her arrest wore a deserted look on Wednesday. Only a farmhand was available at the house a day after Haryana police claimed Honeypreet had spent a few days at the home of a staunch dera follower, Sukhdeep Kaur, who, too, was arrested along with Honeypreet. Sukhdeep's family are also ardent followers of the dera and have resided in Sirsa for over a decade now.

When contacted, IGP (Bathinda zone) M S Chhina and Bathinda SSP Naveen Singla denied that Honeypreet had stayed at Balluana after being booked on sedition charges. SSP Singla said police investigations had revealed that Honeypreet did not stay at Balluana, or anywhere in Bathinda.