Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s ‘adopted daughter’ Honeypreet Insan was on Tuesday arrested by the Haryana Police, DGP BS Sandhu said. Honeypreet, who was absconding since the last 32 days, along with another woman travelling in an Innova was apprehended by ACP, Panchkula, Mukesh Malhotra from Zirakpur-Panchkula Highway at around 2 pm.
AS Chawla, Police Commissioner, Panchkula range said, “We have rounded up Honeypreet along with her another woman associate from Zirakpur-Patiala road. Both the women were travelling in a Toyota Innova. Our ACP Mukesh who is heading a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to probe this case, received a specific input that Honeypreet was travelling on that road. Thus, we rounded both the women. We are bringing her to the police station where she will be interrogated in connection with the violence that took place in Panchkula post Dera chief’s conviction”.
Replying to the manner in which Honeypreet was arrested, Chawla added, “Since she was rounded up from the area that falls in the jurisdiction of Punjab police, we informed our counterparts in Punjab and took her in our custody.”
Chawla reiterated that it was the inputs received by ACP Mukesh on which Honeypreet was intercepted and “rounded up”.
Honeypreet, against whom a look out notice and arrest warrant was also issued, will be produced in a local court on Wednesday.
“We have arrested her and shall be producing her in the court tomorrow. We are also probing the role of the woman who was travelling with her. Media should give her some more time so that we can interrogate Honeypreet regarding the violence that erupted in Panchkula in which 36 persons lost their lives on August 25. We can not disclose the location where she will be interrogated since these are operational details. Our lady officers are reaching the spot and shall be questioning Honeypreet and her accomplice,” Chawla said.
Earlier today, Honeypreet told a TV channel from an “undisclosed” location that she was seeking legal opinion on her next step and was likely to move the Punjab and Haryana High Court. According to the police, she was arrested on Patiala road. Anticipating her surrender, security was tightened around Panchkula district court complex and Panchkula Police Commissioner’s office today.
A lookout notice and an arrest warrant were issued by the Haryana Police against Honeypreet after she was booked at Sector 5 police station in Panchkula along with Dera functionaries Aditya Insan and Surinder Dhiman for allegedly inciting violence in Panchkula in the aftermath of the Dera head’s conviction in a twin rape case. Honeypreet denies that she was involved in any of the violence.
On September 26, the Delhi High Court dismissed a transit anticipatory bail plea that she had filed before it. The court’s order was based on the grounds that she had been evading arrest and hence was not entitled to any discretionary relief.