Rajasthan police, which came under fire for its biased probe into the Bhiwani case, has reportedly dropped the names of Gau Rakshaks Lokesh Singla and Monu Manesar from the case. Notably, the Rajasthan police had charged five Gau Rakshaks in the murder of Junaid and Naseer, namely Rinku Saini, Lokesh Singla, Shrikant, Monu Manesar, and Anil.
राजस्थान पुलिस की वॉन्टेड लिस्ट से मोनू मानेसर और लोकेश सिंगला का नाम हटा, पुलिस ने दी क्लीन चिट
— News24 (@news24tvchannel) February 23, 2023
◆ दोनों भिवानी हत्याकांड के आरोपी हैं #Bhiwani | #MonuManesar #LokeshSingla pic.twitter.com/Owuvg45cJt
According to reports, the police released a new list of eight other wanted suspects in this case, along with their images, at a press conference in Bharatpur. Lokesh Singla and Monu Manesar’s names are missing from this list. The new list now mentions the names of two accused from Nuh and six from different districts in Haryana, they said.
The Rajasthan police, in the press conference, claimed that Rinku Saini, one of the five Gau Rakshaks they named as accused in the case, confessed his crime.
‘Operation Loharu’ reveals Monu Manesar was nowhere close to the crime scene
Notably, the progress of Rajasthan Police’s investigation into the double homicide in Bhiwani had come to light in a sting operation by news TV9 Bharatvarsh. The sting dubbed, ‘Operation Loharu,’ revealed that the police had not found Monu Manesar’s location at the place where they had uncovered Junaid and Nasir’s skeletons.
Ram Naresh, Station House Officer (SHO), Gopalgarh, can be heard stating, “Monu Manesar’s location was not discovered there (at the spot). In the video, he asserted, Junaid (one of the two deceased cow smugglers) was a “wanted felon”.
Furthermore, it was revealed that the Gau Rakshaks who have been booked in the murder case of Junaid and Naseer were police informers. Three out of five named in the matter, Rinku Saini, Lokesh Singla and Shrikant, were police informers and regularly tipped police about cattle smuggling activities which is an organised crime in these areas. Reportedly, they also used to accompany Haryana Police during raids.
Hindu Mahapanchayat to support Monu Manesar
Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and other Hindu organisations called Mahapanchayat on February 21 to support Monu Manesar. He has extensively worked to protect cows from smugglers in Manesar and Mewat areas, the organisations stated. They added that the government is trying to frame Monu, who is innocent, and the Hindu organisations will build pressure to stop the government from doing so.
Meanwhile, Monu Manesar had also vehemently denied any involvement in the murders. He said he was in a Gurugram hotel on the day of the event. CCTV footage and other proof are also available confirming the same. Monu asserted that his name was being dragged into the controversy because of Bajrang Dal’s opposition to cow slaughter in Mewat.
The Bhiwani case
On February 17, the Rajasthan Police reached Haryana to investigate the Bhiwani case in which the charred dead bodies of Junaid and Nasir were recovered by the Haryana Police. Junaid and Nasir were cattle smugglers and belonged to Bharatpur. The family members of the duo alleged that five Bajrang Dal members named Mohit Yadav, Shrikant Pandit, Rinku Saini, and two other Gau Rakshaks abducted Junaid and Nasir and later burnt them alive in Haryana.
Based on the complaint filed by family members of the dead smugglers, the Rajasthan police reached Haryana and began the investigation. It barged into the house of Shrikant Pandit and detained two of his younger brothers named Vishnu and Rahul. According to Shrikant’s family, around 30-40 Rajasthan Police officers entered their house at 3:30 am and assaulted the alleged accused’s mother and his wife. VHP released a statement in which it has accused the Rajasthan police of a biased approach against the activists of Bajrang Dal and VHP.
Update: This report has been updated with recent information. The Rajasthan police has also issued a statement in the matter. The full report can be read here.
