M A I N   N E W S

Jagir Kaur seeking anticipatory bail?
From Varinder Singh
Tribune News Service

JALANDHAR, Oct 6 — Even as Bibi Jagir Kaur avoided mediapersons and her well-wishers who flooded her well-guarded, newly acquired posh bungalow in Defence Colony here today, speculations were rife that she had gone to Chandigarh for obtaining an anticipatory bail in view of the registration of an FIR and the arrest of five persons in the Harpreet death case by the CBI.

Studied silence prevailed when this correspondent visited her bungalow, with a number of security guards strict vigil on a stream of visitors, many of whom were journalists who wanted to have a dialogue with her in view of the new developments in the Harpreet case. They kept hanging around for hours since the presence of Bibi’s new official Ambassador car, a Tata Safari and a Maruti Zen in the driveway of the house made them believe that she was still inside even though a constable repeatedly told them that she had left for Chandigarh last night.

Mr Harjinder Singh, a personal security officer of Bibi Jagir Kaur, said: “She left for Chandigarh yesterday morning and might be busy securing an anticipatory bail” adding that Nishan, another security officer, and one of her relatives, whose name was said to be figuring in the case, was also accompanying her.

Security persons confirmed that CBI sleuths had also been visiting the house off and on during the past fortnight.

Meanwhile, queries revealed that Mr Harbans Singh Bolina, a close aide of Bibi Jagir Kaur who had recently been appointed by her as Secretary Education of the SGPC was not available for comments at the local Layallpur Khalsa College where he is a lecturer and where Bibi Jagir Kaur’s younger daughter is studying.

The Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal (SHSAD), headed by former SGPC chief Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, has demanded that Bibi Jagir Kaur should be summoned by Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti and should be excommunicated from the Sikh Panth for she had “violated” the “rehat maryada” which said there was no place for “killers of daughters” in the Panth.

Briefing mediapersons here today, Mr Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, Secretary-General of the SHSAD, said she was the first president of the SGPC who had involved herself in such a tangle.

He alleged that the Punjab Government had been “indifferent” to serious cases involving Akali leaders.

Akali leader Mal Singh Ghuman’s bodyguard was found dead in his house but nothing was done in this regard. Similarly, the death of a quack at the residence of Agriculture Minister Gurdev Singh Badal, led to no thorough probe, Mr Bhaur said.

He demanded that she should be arrested and thorough probe should be conducted to ascertain the role of the Kapurthala police in Harpreet’s death.

J.S. Gandam adds from Phagwara: With the arrest of five persons, including Mrs Dalwinder Kaur Dhesi an NRI, and Mr Paramjit Singh Raipur, senior vice-president, District Jalandhar (Rural) of the SAD, the crucial Phagwara-link in the mysterious death of Harpreet Kaur has once again come into focus.

When this reporter visited the Dhesi’s sprawling posh bungalow at Taru da Wara, Mr Bhag Ram their driver, said his wife Satya Devi had been arrested by the CBI. He said the CBI took into its custody some medicines, a diary and other articles. He said CBI sleuths, who came in four vehicles in the afternoon of October 4, remained in the bungalow for over six hours. His wife was arrested in his presence and he was made to sign some papers that he could not read as they were in English.

Harvinder Kumar, who has also been arrested by the CBI, runs an orchestra group these days but had been the driver of Mrs Dhesi in the past. Sanjiv Kumar, another suspect is also Mrs Dhesi’s servant. All three belong to nearby Jandiali village.

The Dhesis had organised a function here two days before their arrest. The function was presided over by Bibi Jagir Kaur. It was a closely-guarded secret since Bibi Jagir Kaur had been shying away from the Press ever since the death of her daughter. The function was organised to honour UK’s Lord Tarsem Singh King and his wife Mohinder Kaur. A few senior officials were also present at the function.

Mrs Dhesi had gone to Delhi to see off her husband when she was nabbed from a hotel since her servants had told the CBI about her whereabouts.

Meanwhile, Mr Paramjit Singh Raipur, brother-in-law of Mrs Dhesi, was seen here on October 4. He was seen receiving laddoos from Akali activists during the victory procession for the victory of the SAD-BJP candidate, Mr Parminder Singh Dhindsa, in the Sunam elections.

The Phagwara-link in Harpreet case is vital since she had been staying with the Dhesis before her death. It was alleged that her foetus was aborted here though doctors and nurses denied it.

A female foetus was exhumed from the Hoshiarpur cremation ground on May 12. It was found on March 29 in Model Town Park. The exhumation was done to conduct a DNA test to determine its parentage. Kamaljit, who claims to have sired the child, alleged that Harpreet’s abortion was done in Phagwara. However, DSP Satinder Singh, when contacted, asserted that the foetus was not linked to Harpreet in any way.

Interestingly, the exhumed portion of the foetus is yet to be sent to Hyderabad for the DNA and has been lying here even after over four months.