Almost a week after Junaid and Nasir’s murder, four of the five accused, including Monu Manesar, continue to be at large. Rallies in support of Monu were organised in Gurugram, led by members of the VHP and Bajrang Dal. The NH48 highway in the national capital was also briefly jammed on Tuesday by Monu's supporters after it was reported that Rajasthan police had attempted to raid his residence in Manesar.
The Manesar police, however, aren’t involved in his search. “He might be a resident of Manesar but it’s the Pataudi (in Haryana) and Gopalgarh (in Rajasthan) police that are involved in his search,” Inspector Vijay Kumar of Manesar police told The Quint.
While the Gopalgarh police are searching for him in connection with the Junaid and Nasir’s murder case, the Pataudi police is involved in a different case pertaining to Monu – of a 6 February clash that occurred in Pataudi’s Babarshah colony where he emerged as one of the accused. Pataudi police confirmed to The Quint that as of Tuesday, 21 February, they were still “searching for Monu.” The DCP Manesar has however initiated the process to cancel Monu’s weapon license.
While Chief Ministers of both Rajasthan and Haryana, Ashok Gehlot and Manohar Lal Khattar respectively, have stated that their respective state polices are “working together”, evident fissures seem to be emerging.
Allegation of 'Assault' Against Rajasthan Police
On 20 February, the Haryana Police sent the exhumed remains of the still-born child of one of the accused in the Junaid and Nasir’s murder case for post-mortem examination. This came after the pregnant wife of the accused, Shrikant Pandit, accused the Rajasthan police of assault when they showed up at their residence to search for him.
The Rajasthan police, however, has denied this allegation. "The accused was not present. His two brothers had come out of home and they were freed after questioning. The allegations levelled by the woman are false. Their family member is an accused that is why they (are) levelling allegations," Bharatpur SP Shyam Singh said.
Shrikant Pandit is a resident of Maroda village which falls in Nuh district, in Haryana. Nuh SP Varun Singla, while referring to the allegations by Shrikant’s family called it a “very sad incident.”
Like Shrikant, all the other accused mentioned in the FIR belong to Haryana.
No FIR in Haryana in Junaid-Nasir Case
There is only one FIR in the case, and that is the one registered at the Gopalgarh police station in Rajasthan. The accused have been registered under IPC sections 143 (unlawful assembly) as well as sections pertaining to kidnapping 365, 367 and 368. A murder charge (section 302) was also subsequently added in the FIR.
Moreover, on Monday, the Rajasthan DGP Umesh Mishra said that besides the one arrested, Rinku Saini, eight more men involved in the crime have been identified.
As opposed to this, there has been no FIR registered in Haryana in connection with the case at all.
Junaid and Nasir’s burnt Bolero jeep was found in Haryana’s Bhiwani, which was then traced back to Rajasthan’s Bharatpur and the dots connected. However, speaking to The Quint, SP Bhiwani Ajit Singh Shekhawat said that there is no FIR in Haryana in connection with the case.
“The same offense started in Bharatpur and continued till Bhiwani. The offense culminated in Bhiwani, but there is only one FIR in the case and that is in Gopalgarh (Rajasthan),” he told The Quint.
Haryana Police in the Dock After Accused's Claim
Rajasthan police sources have claimed that Rinku Saini, the one accused who has been arrested so far, had during the police questioning said that Junaid and Nasir were first taken to the Ferozepur Jhirka police station after being abducted; but the police refused to take them.
“Saini has claimed during interrogation that Junaid and Nasir were taken to Haryana Police. The claim will be verified,” Bharatpur IG Gaurav Srivastava has told PTI.
This corroborates with what The Quint had earlier reported, about the former sarpanch of a nearby village receiving a call from a Ferozepur Jhirka police official informing him that “a group of Bajrang Dal men brought 2 people with them” and that “the police officer said they were too injured for the police to do anything and so asked to first take them to a hospital.”
Nuh SP Varun Singla has formed a team to probe against the allegations on Haryana police. "To probe the allegations against CIA, Ferozepur Jhirka, a special team has been formed led by ASP Usha Kundu," he said. "If our men are found involved, action will be taken," the SP said.
He has also said that they will wait to hear on Rajasthan police’s probe on the same. Sources have said that the Rajasthan police is looking to seize CCTV footage around the Ferozepur Jhirka police station to investigate this further.
The Haryana police also stands in a tight spot given allegations that some of its officials have close relations with some of the accused. Monu, the most notorious of the accused, has been a part of the Haryana cow protection task force and self-admittedly helped the state police in tracing alleged cow-smugglers.
Then, at least three other accused, namely Rinku, Lokesh and Shrikant have been working as Haryana police’s informers, The Indian Express reported.
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