UK-based gangster may be behind heart-wrenching murder of INLD chief: Sources

New Delhi:

A gangster based in the United Kingdom is likely to be behind the sensational murder of Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) chief Nafe Singh Rathi, sources said, adding that three more people have been named in the FIR.

On Sunday, at a railway crossing in Haryana’s Jhajjar district, a Toyota Fortuner carrying Mr Rathi stopped unexpectedly, but was ambushed by a mysterious i20 car. A cinematic scene unfolded as five men came out and opened fire on the SUV. Mr Rathi, 66, and a loyal aide died while two others were struggling to survive in a critical condition. The attackers spared the life of Mr Rathi’s nephew, who was driving the vehicle, and instructed him to inform the family about the incident.

Police are now on the lookout for the elusive i20 which sped away after the attack.

The three new persons mentioned in the FIR are Virendra Rathi, Sandeep Rathi and Rajpal Sharma, taking the total to 15 suspects – 10 known, including former BJP MLA Naresh Kaushik and five unidentified. According to police sources, two of the three newly named persons have political connections.

The investigation has taken an international turn with suspicions pointing towards the involvement of a notorious UK-based gangster. The gangster has reportedly committed political murders in the past, including the murder of a BJP leader in Delhi a few months ago. Haryana Police will today interrogate a close associate of a UK-based gangster who is currently lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail.

Delhi Police investigation

Delhi Police suspects the possible involvement of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and sharpshooters linked to Kala Jathedi in the brutal murder of the INLD leader.

The Crime Branch and Special Cell of Delhi Police, working in coordination with the inter-state network of gangsters, have visited the crime scene in Jhajjar. At least five teams of the Special Cell and four teams of the Crime Branch are actively coordinating with their counterparts in Haryana to investigate the murders.

The involvement of other foreign-based gangsters like Portugal-based suspect Himanshu Bhau is not being ruled out.

“It is suspected that members of a gang of jailed gangsters might have taken a contract to kill Rathi for money,” a Delhi Police official was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

Gangs linked to Bishnoi and Jathedi are known for extortion and contract killings in Delhi-NCR, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan.

The execution-style employed in Mr Rathi’s murder resembles previous incidents, notably the killing of Rajput Karni Sena chief Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi, suggesting a common modus operandi. The shooters, belonging to the Lawrence Bishnoi-Godley Brar gang, reportedly used foreign-made Zigana and Beretta pistols in both the cases.

What steps will CBI take?

Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij announced in the state Assembly on Monday that the investigation will be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Mr Vij said, “If the House is satisfied with only the CBI investigation, I assure the members that we will hand over the case to the CBI.”

The political impact of the incident has been swift, with the opposition demanding a CBI inquiry into Mr Rathi’s murder under the supervision of a High Court judge. The incident has been termed by the opposition as the state’s “first political killing”, sparking a heated debate over the adequacy of security measures provided to Mr Rathi, who had reportedly sought protection due to threats on his life.

The Haryana Assembly, led by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, on Monday paid tribute to the INLD chief and resolved to bring the culprits to justice.