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Bathinda eatery owner’s murder:17 days on, cops still struggle to find motive
Officials privy to ongoing probe suspect Dalla ordered the killing to instil fear among soft targets to extort money. Seventeen days after the murder of a Bathinda eatery owner, Harjinder Johal, alias Mela, and the arrest of three accused, the police are struggling to find the motive behind the crime.
Seventeen days after the murder of a restaurateur, Harjinder Johal, alias Mela, and the arrest of three accused, the police are struggling to find the motive behind the crime.
As per the police, Canada-based designated Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) terrorist Arshdeep Singh, alias Arsh Dalla, is the mastermind of the contract killing.
Officials privy to the ongoing probe by the Bathinda police said that Dalla, who is believed to be in Canada, had ordered the killing to instil fear among the soft targets to extort money.
“Dalla had paid ₹65,000 digitally to the accused identified as Lovejeet Singh, Paramjit Singh and Kamaljit Singh. The deceased was a small-time eatery operator, and he had no huge property. A probe so far shows that he was never contacted by Dalla or his henchmen for extortion. Bathinda police have still not found strong evidence of the motive behind the crime. The wanted terrorist had adopted a similar modus operandi in Moga where after a random murder, Dalla managed to create fear and started extorting money from several businessmen,” said officials.
Meanwhile, the police suspect the role of Dalla’s father Charanjit Singh in the crime and he is also being interrogated.
Station house officer, Kotwali, Parvinder Singh said on Tuesday a local court extended Charanjit’s police remand by three days.
“He was brought on a production warrant from Faridkot jail where he was lodged for involvement in multiple crimes. We are working for leads in the crime,” added the SHO.
On October 28, Johal was sitting on a chair outside his shop when two motorcycle-borne persons shot him dead.
The killing of Johal, who was also the president of Mall Road Market Association, caused strong resentment among businessmen and political parties.
Bathinda superintendent of police (city) Narinder Singh said on Tuesday that there is no record showing him approaching the authorities about getting any calls of threats or extortion.
“All three accused who were arrested by State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) along with Mohali district police from Zirakpur on November 2 are being questioned by a team of Bathinda police. The three are in the local police custody till November 16. Our teams are working to solve the motive behind the murder,” he added.
