CBI probe ordered into killing of Haryana unit INLD chief

Chandigarh, Feb 26 (IANS) Acceding to the demand of opposition Congress, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Monday told the state Assembly that a probe by the CBI has been ordered into the killing of Indian National Lok Dal's state unit chief Nafe Singh Rathi.  

"If the satisfaction of the House is through the CBI investigation, then the investigation will be done through the CBI only," Vij said. The Congress described the killing of Rathi as the state's "first political murder" and demanded a probe into the incident either by a high court judge or a high court judge-monitored CBI investigation.

Congress leader Raghuvir Kadian said it was a political murder.

"It is a political murder and the first such incident in Haryana after it was carved out as a separate state (in 1966)," Kadian told the Assembly.

At the beginning of the day's proceedings, the Haryana Assembly paid tributes to former Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi, who died recently.

Two-time legislator Rathi was shot dead along with a party worker by assailants in Jhajjar's Bahadurgarh town.

Twelve people, including former Bahadurgarh MLA and BJP leader Naresh Kaushik, were booked in connection with his killing.

Vij said those responsible behind the murder will not be spared. Expressing grief over this incident, the Home Minister said this "is a very unfortunate incident and Nafe Singh Rathi was with him as a legislator in 1996 and 2000, and Nafe Singh was also his good friend".

Vij said as soon as he was informed about the murder, he immediately spoke to the Director General of Police, Jhajjar Superintendent of Police, and the Special Task Force (STF) chief and handed over the investigation of this case to the STF.

He said the police are thoroughly investigating the case but he cannot share modules of the investigation.

An FIR has been lodged against political people by Rathi's nephew.

In response to questions raised by the Opposition regarding the security demanded by Rathi, the Home Minister said "it is true that Rathi had demanded security and handed over a letter to the SP, Jhajjar, in this regard on July 14, 2022, and a case was registered in this regard. After that, the police investigated threats they were receiving, and in the investigation it was found that a person from Kolkata was threatening Nafe Singh over the phone and was later caught".

In addition, Vij said no letter had come to his office regarding this matter.

--IANS

vg/pgh