Jat violence: CBI court summons Malik’s close aide, ex-minister’s son

CHANDIGARH: The Panchkula CBI court has summoned All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) general secretary Ashok Balhara, a close aide of Yashpal Malik, in a case pertaining to violence during Jat reservation agitation in Haryana.

The court has also summoned Haryana Congress spokesman and former state minister Krishan Murti Hooda's son Gaurav Hooda and nine others in connection with violence and arson at Haryana finance minister Captain Abhimanyu's house in Rohtak during in February 2016.

Balhara, who is alleged to have incited the mob to attack Abhimanyu's house, is an advocate and had served as a law officer during former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda's government.

The 10-page order was passed by CBI special judicial magistrate Kapil Rathi on August 23. The copy was, however, made available on Saturday.

On July 2, the CBI had filed chargesheet against 51 persons and had slapped sections in connection with rioting, sedition and attempt to murder on the accused. Initially, the Haryana Police had booked 40 people, but later CBI added 11 more names in the chargesheet.

The court order states, "Accused Yogesh, Sandeep, Arvind Singh Gill, Bijender Singh alias Bija, Jitender Singh, Rahul Hooda, Sumit Singh Malik, Vijaydeep Panghal, Gaurav Hooda, Ashok Balhara and Sachin Dahiya, have not been arrested by the CBI during the course of investigation and a prime facie case is made out against them. Hence, they are summoned as accused persons in this case for having alleged to have committed offences punishable under various sections of the IPC and under the Arms Act and are directed to appear before this court in person on September 12."

The CBI took over the investigation in these cases on the request of the Haryana government and consequent orders from the Centre's department of personnel and training.

The investigating agency had submitted in the court that accused had attacked and vandalised the house of the Haryana finance minister and set it on fire in February 2016. The accused in pursuance of criminal conspiracy with other co-accused also made attempt to murder family members of the minister present in the house at the time of attack. An alleged loss of nearly Rs 14 crore was caused during the attack of arson, rioting and dacoity, the CBI had submitted.