Nafe Singh Rathee murder: BJP leader among 12 booked; Haryana orders CBI probe
Haryana Police books former BJP MLA Naresh Kaushik and 11 others; Home Minister Anil Vij tells Assembly that CBI probe will be carried out into Rathee's murder
Twelve people, including BJP leader Naresh Kaushik, have been booked for the brutal daylight murder of INLD state president Nafe Singh Rathee at a railway crossing in Haryana’s Jhajjar district on Sunday (February 25). Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij has also told the state Assembly that a CBI probe will be carried out into the murder.
Besides former BJP MLA Kaushik, Bahadurgarh municipal council chairperson Saroj Rathee’s husband Ramesh Rathee, her close relatives Karambir Rathee and Kamal Rathee, former minister Mange Ram Rathee’s son Satish Numberdar, grandson Gaurav, Rahul and five unknown assailants have been booked under charges of murder and conspiracy.
Chilling murder
According to Rathee's nephew Rajesh, who told the police that the assassins had threatened him after the shooting was over, the 66-year-old Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader was in the front left seat beside him in the Toyota Fortuner SUV. In the rear seat was a gunner posted for the INLD leader's security and a party colleague. In his police complaint, Rajesh said they were headed to Bahadurgarh and the SUV was waiting at the Barahi railway crossing when a car stopped behind it.
Five men emerged from the car and approached the SUV and fired at least 20 rounds at Rathee. According to the complaint, after they finishing riddling Rathee’s body with bullets, one of the shooters told Rajesh that they were sparing him to go and tell his family.
The assailants also told him that this was a lesson for developing an enmity with Satish, Karambir Rathee, and Naresh Kaushik. According to media reports, Rajesh said one of them came towards him and said, "I am leaving you alive. Tell their family that they would be killed if they even went to court against Naresh Kaushik, Karambir Rathee, Satish Rathee, Gaurav Rathee, Rahul, and Kamal."
Anger against government
The cold-blooded murder, which has sent shock-waves through Haryana has sparked anger against the Manohar Lal Khattar government.
Nafe Singh’s family members and supporters have said they will not cremate the bodies of the INLD leader and the other person Jai Kishan who was also killed in the attack, until the accused are arrested. On February 26, they also blockaded a road in front of the Bahadurgarh civil hospital where the bodies have been kept. The accused have also been charged with criminal conspiracy and Arms Act.
Promise of CBI probe
The Congress and AAP have lashed out at the state government over the daylight killing.
The Opposition in Haryana raised the issue in the Assembly on Monday morning during the ongoing budget session. They called Nafe Singh’s murder a “political killing” and the Opposition demanded a probe by a high court sitting judge.
Home Minister Vij later assured the Assembly that a CBI probe would be carried out. "If the House is only satisfied with a CBI probe, then I assure the members that we will hand over the case to the CBI," Vij said in the Assembly.
CM Khattar said that not a single culprit involved in the case will be spared. “Police have been instructed to arrest the accused as soon as possible and take the strictest action," he added.
(With agency inputs)
