Bittu killed days before SIT was to quiz on sacrilege

Jupinderjit Singh
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 24

There could be more behind the killing of Dera Sacha Sauda follower and sacrilege accused Mohinder Pal Bittu given the fact that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on the Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan firing incidents was scheduled to examine him this week. 

Bittu was murdered inside the high-security Nabha jail by two inmates on June 22 despite the fact he was segregated from other inmates. Behind bars in the 2015 Bargari sacrilege case, he was not produced in the Faridkot sessions court on June 14 owing to “inadequate” staff. Subsequently, as directed by the court, he was to be produced in the court on July 1. 

Admitting that Bittu’s murder had hit the ongoing probe, IG Kunwar Vijay Pratap, the key investigator, told The Tribune that the probe team was to meet the accused at Nabha jail this week. 

The SIT, in its two chargesheets filed with the Faridkot court, had described the sacrilege incidents as a “high-profile conspiracy”. It is suspected that Bittu may have known those behind the conspiracy and therefore may have been eliminated.

“The murder is surely a setback,” the IG said. He did not specify as to who all knew Bittu was to be questioned. 

Meanwhile, the SIT has obtained clearance from Haryana to quiz the dera chief at Rohtak jail. The IG, who also heads the Organised Crime Control Unit of Punjab Police, reiterated: “Gangsters have nothing to do with the murder.” But Patiala police officials said they would probe all angles.

Cremated, finally 

Kotkapura: Dera Sacha Sauda follower Mohinder Pal Bittu was cremated on Monday evening after officials held marathon talks with sect members and the Punjab CM ordered setting up of a special team to probe his killing. 

SETBACK: PROBE CHIEF

The murder is surely a setback to the investigation. Gangsters have nothing to do with the murder. Kunwar Vijay Pratap, IG