Haryana to hand over INLD state chief Rathee’s murder probe to CBI: Vij

Haryana home minister Anil Vij announced that the CBI will probe the murder of INLD state president Nafe Singh Rathee, agreed upon after Congress demand.

Haryana home minister Anil Vij on Monday announced in the state assembly in Chandigarh that the probe into the murder of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) state president Nafe Singh Rathee and a party worker in Bahadurgarh near Delhi on Sunday would be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

People gather at the site after Haryana INLD chief Nafe Singh Rathee was shot dead by unidentified assailants at Bahadurgarh in Jhajjar district on Sunday evening. (ANI Photo)

Replying to the Congress demand and adjournment motion on law and order in the state, Vij said: “Keeping in view the demand of the House, the murder of Rathee will be handed over to the CBI.

Earlier in the day, Speaker Gian Chand Gupta admitted the adjournment motion on law and order as the opposition Congress raised the killing of Rathee and demanded a high court judge monitored CBI probe into the incident.

Soon after Question Hour, senior Congress member Raghuvir Singh Kadian asked the Speaker to allow discussion on the adjournment motion on law and order and described Rathee’s killing as the state’s “first political murder”.

Congress legislature party leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, “Why has Haryana reached this juncture? It is in the interest of the state that this case should be handed over to the CBI and a sitting high court judge should monitor the investigation.”

Earlier Vij said the case was being investigated by a special task force of Haryana Police.

Meanwhile, police have booked a former Haryana MLA and 11 other people in connection with the murder of Rathee and a party worker, Jai Kishan, in Bahadurgarh. The two were shot dead by four assailants on Sunday evening. Three private gunmen hired by former MLA Rathee for security were also injured in the attack.

In the 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 the body until those behind the murder are arrested.

The attack on the INLD Haryana unit chief comes 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 on Sunday that not a single culprit involved in this case would be spared.

INLD senior leader Abhay Singh Chautala accused the government of failing to provide Nafe Singh Rathee security despite the threat to his life.