Honeypreet Insan, the adopted daughter of jailed Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, was finally arrested from the Zirakpur-Patiala highway in Punjab, while she was travelling with a woman associate in a SUV on Tuesday. The arrest came hours after Honeypreet’s interview to two news channels, where she claimed to be “innocent” and rejected all insinuations about her illicit relationship with Ram Rahim. In the interviews, she also promised to surrender before the court.
The Haryana Police had been looking for her since the “Papa’s Angel” went underground on August 25 following the large-scale violence by Dera supporters in protest against Ram Rahim’s conviction in rape cases.
Panchkula Police Commissioner AS Chawla told the media that police received inputs, following which Honeypreet was arrested by SIT in-charge Mukesh Malhotra from Zirakpur-Patiala road in Punjab. Chawla clarified that Honeypreet did not surrender but was chased, intercepted and then arrested by the Haryana Police on Tuesday around 3 pm. We need to investigate her role in the Panchkula violence on August 25 and hence we will seek her police remand on Wednesday, said Chawla.
After her arrest, Honeypreet was questioned at Chandimandir Police station in Panchkula.
In TV interviews telecast early on Tuesday, Honeypreet claimed that she was falsely implicated in a sedition case as she accompanied Ram Rahim to the court only after Government’s consent. She claimed her relationship with the Dera chief is like father-daughter and rubbished all allegations made in a section of the media.
Earlier, the Haryana Police claimed that search operations were carried out in New Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Nepal to nab Honeypreet, who had been booked on sedition charges for inciting violence following the conviction of Ram Rahim on August 25. The arrest has come as a great relief for the Haryana Police, which had been facing severe criticism from several quarters for not being able to nab Honeypreet, who topped the list of 43 people “wanted” in connection with the August 25 violence.
The Delhi High Court on September 26 had dismissed Honeypreet’s anticipatory bail plea. A court in Panchkula had last month issued arrest warrants against top Dera functionaries — Honeypreet, Aditya Insan and Pawan Insan.
Dera chief Ram Rahim has been sentenced to 20 years rigorous imprisonment and slapped with a fine of Rs 30 lakh following his conviction in the rape cases.