PSO helped Namdhari destroy evidence: police

Sukhdev Singh Namdhari, the sacked minority commission chairman of Uttarakhand, had an able partner in crime in his personal security officer (PSO) Sachin Tyagi. Since Tyagi was a policeman, he knew the importance of empty cartridges and guns as evidence, police said. Faizan Haider reports.

Sukhdev Singh Namdhari, the sacked minority commission chairman of Uttarakhand, had an able partner in crime in his personal security officer (PSO) Sachin Tyagi. Since Tyagi was a policeman, he knew the importance of empty cartridges and guns as evidence, police said.

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Sources in the crime branch have revealed that Tyagi had removed empty cartridges from the spot where the shootout took place. He reportedly advised Namdhari to get the numerical code of the gun -with which he allegedly fired at Ponty Chadha's brother Hardeep Singh - changed.

"After destroying crucial evidence, Namdhari and Tyagi discussed at length the story they will tell the police. When they narrated their story to the police, both failed to mention that Namdhari too had a gun from which he had fired. Namdhari had tutored Tyagi to tell the police he had fired in self-defence," a senior police officer said.

Sources said the story had been planned at the Fortis Hospital, where they had taken an injured Ponty for treatment.

In his police statement, Tyagi maintained that Hardeep tried to target Namdhari, and he had to fire to save his boss.

"But investigations have revealed that there was no threat to Namdhari's life. Tyagi was part of the whole conspiracy and had even gone with them to capture the farmhouse," the police officer added.

Namdhari, Ponty and Tyagi had gone to farmhouse number 42 in Chhatarpur, where the shootout happened.

Namdhari's custody
Namdhari's custody will end on Wednesday. The Delhi Police have so far failed to nab his son and the mechanic who reportedly changed the numerical code of his gun. While seeking his custody on Sunday, the Delhi Police had told the court that Namdhari has agreed to help the police in nabbing his other associates.

"We have raided several hideouts but without any success. It seems Namdhari is misleading us and waiting for his custody to get over," the officer added.