Abohar murder suspect’s kin, BJP seek CBI probe into killing
Two days after the shooting of two suspects in the Abohar businessman Sanjay Verma murder case, the post-mortem of one of them could not be conducted even today. Meanwhile, the deceased’s family has sought a CBI probe, raising questions over the alleged police action and choosing not to travel from Patiala to Abohar.
Amid the growing controversy, senior BJP leader and Delhi Cabinet Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa has publicly demanded a CBI inquiry into the “police action”. Responding to this demand, AAP’s Punjab unit president Aman Arora said today that the BJP’s stance only exposes how the party is protecting gangsters lodged in central jails.
Sanjay Verma’s elder brother, Jagat Verma, has also questioned the Centre, accusing it of “feeding gangsters in jails”. However, he expressed satisfaction with the Punjab Police’s action so far and said he remained hopeful of justice. Jagat is appealing to everyone for justice but has not yet disclosed whether the family has received any threats. Meanwhile, police personnel have been deployed at the family residence for security.
Sanjay Verma, 56, a well-known gents’ tailor and co-owner of New Wear Well Emporium, was shot dead around 10.15 am on Monday outside his showroom at Bhagat Singh Chowk. CCTV footage showed two armed assailants firing eight rounds at point-blank range as he arrived in his car, before fleeing on a motorcycle with an accomplice. Another clip revealed that the attackers had hidden their weapons under a rehri (handcart) opposite the showroom, retrieving them seconds before the killing.
On Tuesday evening, DIG Ferozepur Range Harmanbir Singh Gill stated that the two suspects – Ram Rattan and Jaspreet Singh from Patiala district – who had been arrested in the case, were killed in a crossfire near the Panj Peer shrine on the town’s outskirts. According to the police, the duo were taken to a forested area to recover weapons when unidentified individuals opened fire, leading to the shootout. A senior constable also sustained a bullet injury. An FIR under murder and attempt to murder charges was registered on the statement of Inspector Paramjit Singh, SHO of Abohar City-1 police station.
Meanwhile, Ram Rattan’s post-mortem was conducted today by a four-member panel of doctors at the local civil hospital, in the presence of a judicial magistrate and under heavy police security. The body was later handed over to his family.
Police maintain that both deceased had assisted the assailants in escaping in a Swift car. They had allegedly stayed at a hotel on the outskirts of Malout town in neighbouring Muktsar district the night before the murder. A CCTV clip from the hotel has gone viral, along with additional footage showing their movement at toll plazas and a local eatery in Abohar.
A Facebook post under the name of gangster Aarzoo Bishnoi, an associate of Lawrence Bishnoi, claimed responsibility for Sanjay’s murder. A day later, another post from the same account called the police’s version of events fake and politically motivated. The account was subsequently deleted or suspended. Aarzoo is a resident of Rajanwali, while Lawrence hails from Duttaranwali – both villages located on Sitto Road near Abohar.
A case based on the statement of the slain businessman’s son, Himanshu, was registered against one Shakti Kumar of Azimgarh village and two unidentified persons; Ram Rattan and Jaspreet Singh were later named as accused in the case.
Punjab