HC orders CBI probe into murder of 2 in Chautala village

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday directed the CBI to probe into the January 2017 double murder case at Chautala village Sirsa disrict in which two men were gunned down at a kinnow waxing plant.
Justice Daya Chaudhary announced the order in the open court while hearing a petition filed by the widow of one of the victims, accusing the Haryana police of not investigating the role of Pardeep Godara, a close aide of an influential leader in Sirsa, due to political pressure. One Satbir Punia (40) was killed along with Amit Saharan (38) at Pardeep Godara’s office.

Confirming the development, counsel for one of the petitioners, R S Bains said the matter has been handed over to CBI but more details for the completion of investigation would be disclosed in the detailed order to be released in the next two-three days.

One of the petitioners, Bhawna had claimed that despite the registration of FIR in January 2017, the investigation agency had made a deliberate attempt to protect and shield the main mastermind of the entire incident — Godara. She had submitted before the HC that though the police arrested Chotu Bhat as the main conspirator and even arrested shooters involved in the case, Godara’s role in the crime was not investigated.

“It is strange that the assailants chose to enter Godara’s office and open fire only after Godara had left the premises,” the petitioner had told the HC. She further stated that the wires of CCTV cameras, which were installed in the office of Godara, were cut just a day prior to the incident.

The petitioner had also argued that Godara is a man of criminal antecedents and was earlier involved in the murder of Chand Singh Brar, who was eliminated in a similar fashion on April 29, 2006. She claimed that police was not taking action against Godara because of his political patronage.

It was also argued that a perusal of the bank passbooks of Saharan and his sisters would reveal that there were a number of withdrawals from his (Saharan) account in 2015, when the plant of Godara was being set up.

Naveena, the widow of another deceased, had also filed a similar petition in this case and all the cases were clubbed together by the HC. The HC had already impleaded the CBI as party in the case.