Police on Monday booked a former Haryana MLA and 11 other persons in connection with the murder of the Indian National Lok Dal’s state unit president Nafe Singh Rathee and a party worker in Bahadurgarh on the outskirts of the national Capital.
Rathee and party worker Jai Kishan were shot dead by assailants on Sunday. Three private gunmen hired by former MLA Rathee for security were also injured in the attack.
In an FIR registered on Monday, police named former MLA Naresh Kaushik, Karambir Rathee, Ramesh Rathee, Satish Rathee, Gaurav Rathee, Rahul and Kamal. The FIR also mentions five unnamed people.
The case has been registered under various IPC sections, including that of murder.
Nafe Singh Rathee’s family has refused to cremate his body until those behind the murder were arrested.
The attack on the INLD Haryana unit chief came weeks before the Lok Sabha elections, drawing sharp reactions from opposition parties who alleged a breakdown in law and order in the BJP-ruled state. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that not a single culprit involved in this case will be spared. Police have been instructed to arrest the accused as soon as possible and take strictest action, he said.
INLD senior leader Abhay Singh Chautala accused the government of failing to provide Nafe Singh Rathee with security despite a threat to his life. He also demanded a CBI probe into the incident.
The opposition Congress and Aam Aadmi Party also hit out at the Khattar government over the incident.
Meanwhile, Haryana Home Minister, Anil Vij said that the investigation into the murder case of former MLA Nafe Singh Rathee will be conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He said that those responsible for this murder will not be spared.
Vij was responding to the Adjournment Motion brought during the budget session in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha.
Expressing grief over this incident, the Home Minister said that if the satisfaction of the House is by the CBI investigation, then the investigation into this murder case will be done through CBI only. Vij said that this is a very unfortunate incident. He added that Nafe Singh Rathee was with him as a legislator in 1996 and 2000.
After the incident, Vij said that he immediately spoke to the Director-General of Police, Jhajjar’s SP, and the STF Chief and handed over the probe to the STF Chief. He said that the state police are thoroughly investigating the case but refused to share the details. The Home Minister said that an FIR has been lodged against some political persons by the nephew of Nafe Singh Rathee.
Responding to questions by the opposition regarding the security demanded by Nafe Singh Rathee, the Home Minister said: “It is true that Nafe Singh Rathee had demanded security and handed over a letter to the SP, Jhajjar in this regard on July 14, 2022, and a case was also registered. After that, the police investigated the threats they were receiving, and it was found that a person from Kolkata was threatening Nafe Singh over the phone, who was caught.”
In addition, Vij said that no letter has come to his office regarding this matter.
The Home Minister shared information about the crime statistics in the House, saying that there were 784 murder cases in 2005, which increased to 1106 in 2014. Similarly, there were 88 dacoity cases in 2005, which increased to 172 in 2014; robbery was 390 in 2005, which increased to 874 in 2014. Snatching cases were 461 in 2005, which increased to 1166 in 2014. Rape cases were 461 in 2005, which increased to 1174 in 2014. Crimes against women were 380 in 2005, which increased to 1680 in 2014. Kidnapping minors was 492 in 2005, which increased to 3082 in 2014. Attempted murder was 513 in 2005, which increased to 783 in 2014. Dowry deaths were 212 in 2005, which increased to 293 in 2014. Responding to the opposition, Vij said the government has worked to improve these statistics significantly.
Similarly, he mentioned the detection rate, stating that the murder case has a detection rate of 90.90 per cent, kidnapping 87 per cent, dacoity 89 per cent, robbery 78 per cent, molestation 98.30 per cent, rape 99.70 per cent, dowry death 100 per cent, dowry harassment 99 per cent, and women abduction 99 per cent.
He said that the STF has been formed to bust gangs, and in 2022, 473 gangs were caught, and in 2023, 466 gangs were apprehended. He said that in 2022, more than Rs. 18.12 crore were recovered from these gangs, and in 2023, Rs. 14.89 crore were recovered from these gangs in 2023. Similarly, in 2022, 354 most wanted criminals were arrested, and in 2023, 436 most wanted criminals were arrested.