In Faridkot, Punjab, a case has been registered against five individuals, including SP Investigation Gaganesha Kumar, at the Kotkapura Sadar Police Station. They have been accused of demanding bribes worth lakhs of rupees in relation to murder cases under the jurisdiction of IG Pradeep Kumar of the Faridkot Range. The case involves DSP Sushil Kumar, Inspector Khem Chand Parashar from the RTI branch of the IG’s office in Faridkot, and two other individuals.
According to sources, the murder of Sant Baba Dayal Das, which took place on November 7, 2019, at the Gaushala Kot Sukhia, is at the center of these allegations. It is alleged that in this case, Baba Gagan Das, the head of the Har Ka Das Dera, was threatened and demanded a bribe of Rs. 50 lakh in the name of IG Pradeep Kumar by officials. However, the deal was settled at Rs. 35 lakh.
Of the agreed amount, Rs. 20 lakh has already been taken. Now, pressure is being exerted to obtain the remaining Rs. 15 lahks, but IG Pradeep Kumar became suspicious. He immediately halted the investigation and brought the matter to the attention of the vigilance department.
Following this, on Friday, vigilance officers from Chandigarh and Ferozepur arrived in Faridkot. They questioned IG Pradeep Kumar for two hours at the SP’s office. Subsequently, on the recommendation of the vigilance team, a case was registered against all five accused at the Kotkapura Sadar Police Station.
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It is worth noting that before the murder of Sant Baba Dayal Das, Sant Mohan Das had also been killed. The struggle for the position of the head of the Har Ka Das Dera in the village of Kot Sukhia in Faridkot has been ongoing for several years. In the midst of this struggle, in 1986, unknown individuals had also murdered the then-Dera chief, Sant Mohan Das. When Baba Hari Das was appointed as the Dera head 14 years ago, he also had to face a tough challenge from an individual.
The Dera has branches in 12 districts of Punjab and 12 branches in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. Hence, there is a dispute among the leaders of certain branches in Kot Sukhia regarding the position of the head of the Dera. This is because the Dera possesses considerable agricultural land. Apart from the struggle for the top position, the Dera is also involved in disputes with private individuals who are allegedly encroaching upon some of its land.