Police recover Rs 25 lakh from Dera member

Large scale violence was reported in Panchkula after verdict against Gurmeet Ram Rahim. (Express photo)

Police have recovered Rs 25 lakh cash from a top Dera Sacha Sauda functionary who is said to be instrumental in organising the riots on August 25 after the dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was convicted in a rape case. The dera functionary, Chamkaur Singh, allegedly hired some history-sheeters who were responsible for the violence. He was produced in a local court and sent to the judicial custody.

The police officials said that during the investigation, Chamkaur revealed that he was handling the financial affairs of the Dera to manage the crowd. Police said that they recovered cash in the new currency denominations of Rs 2,000, Rs 500 and Rs100. Chamkaur was also responsible to look after the transport and food of the people who were gathered in the city before the day of verdict.

The cash is part of Rs 5 crore which was allegedly distributed among the people who were hired to incite violence. Chamkaur was also the head of a 25-member team of Panchkula district which was constituted by the dera management. Meanwhile, the police released 10 pictures of dera followers who were involved in the riots on August 25. The photos were taken from the CCTV footage.

The arguments in former dera functionary Ranjeet Singh’s murder case were also completed on Tuesday during a routine hearing at a CBI court. The Commissioner of Police AS Chawla while speaking about the whereabouts of Honeypreet said that they have information that she did not flee to Nepal, adding that Honeypreet had only one passport which is in the possession of the police.