CHANDIGARH: The Haryana Police has booked former MLA of Bahadurgarh and BJP leader Naresh Kaushik besides others in the murder case of 66-year-old Nafe Singh Rathee, President of the Haryana Unit of Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), and one other person. No arrests have been made so far.
Sources said that Naresh Kaushik, Ramesh Rathi, Satish Rathi and Rahul have been named in the First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Haryana Police under sections 302, 307, 149, 148, 147, and 120-B of IPC besides the Arms Act at Bahadurgarh Police Station.
The two-time MLA Rathee was sitting in the front seat of his SUV on February 25 when the assailants fired at his SUV in broad daylight near the Barahi level crossing from close range and then sped away after the incident. Besides Rathee, his associate Jai Kishan of Mandhothi village also died while two of his private bodyguards were injured.
As per the statement given to the police by Rakesh (50), driver of Nafe Singh Rathee, who was also the nephew of the former deceased MLA, a white I20 car seemed to be following their Toyota Fortuner (SUV) when they were returning to Bahadurgarh. The driver tried to speed up but owing to the closed railway crossing, he had to stop. Four men who were following them opened a volley of gunshots. They let him go and asked him to inform Rathee's family never to go against them or give any statement in any court otherwise they will be killed.
The driver added, "I saw Nafe Singh and Jai Kishan had died and Sanjeet was serious as he was injured. Then a passerby drove our vehicle and brought us to the hospital. I can recognize the assailants if they are brought in front of me.’’
Sources said that five teams of police have been constituted to arrest the
alleged accused. Also a CCTV footage has emerged which showed the movements of assailants just before the crime.
Sources further said that Nafe Singh Rathee and Jaikishan who had suffered heavy blood loss were brought dead as the doctors tried to give them CPR but they could not be saved. Two others were admitted to the ICU with gunshot wounds on the shoulder, thigh and left side of the chest, at Brahma Shakti Sanjeevani Hospital.
"The multiple wounds suggest there were multiple rounds of firing and thus major vessel got damaged causing heavy blood loss and eventually, heart attack,’’ said a doctor.
Meanwhile, 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 Sunday said that not a single culprit involved in this case will be spared.
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 Manohar Lal Khattar government over the incident.
