Chandigarh: The Punjab government has decided to transfer the case of attack on Hindutva body Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh leader Jagdish Gagneja to the CBI. Government maintains that the decision was taken “in view of the links of the alleged perpetrators with anti-India forces residing in foreign countries”.
Police standing outside the Hospital in Jalandhar where RSS leader Jagdish Gagneja (R) was hospitalised after gun-attack
RSS leader Jagdish Gagneja was attacked in Jalandhar on August 06 by unidentified attackers. The Punjab police has failed to crack the case.
A press release issued by the Punjab government in this regard reads as follows:
Punjab govt. entrusts attack on Brig Gagneja to CBI
(Due to national and international ramifications of the case it was necessary to have an inter-agency approach)
(SIT inquiry revealed that the attack could be handiwork of anti national elements with possible nexus with extremist elements abroad)
Chandigarh, August 24 –The Punjab government today entrusted the investigation into the murderous attack on RSS vice president Brig (retd) Jagdish Kumar Gagneja to the CBI in order to nab the perpetrators and their anti national co-conspirators residing abroad.
Disclosing this, an official spokesman said a decision to this effect was taken in view of the need for a strong inter-agency approach to bring the accused as well as their foreign co-conspirators to book.
The recommendation for handing over the case to the CBI was formally made by Director General of Police (DGP) Suresh Arora today. It was pointed out that the attack on the RSS leader, which was conducted by two motor cycle borne armed assailants, was investigated by a special investigation team (SIT) headed by Director, Bureau of Investigations IPS Sahota. During the course of investigation it was revealed that the attack could be the handiwork of anti national elements that were likely to have a nexus with extremist elements living abroad.
The report noted that the nature of the targeting of Brig Gagneja also reflected the underlying motive of the perpetrators to disturb peace in Punjab. It said the act also had ramifications at the national and international level.
The Punjab Police had registered a case under sections 307, 34 IPC and sections 25,27,54,59 Arms Act in police station division number four, police Commissionerate, Jalandhar on August 6 in this regard. It is this case which has now been entrusted to the CBI. EOM.