Indian Express, January 24, 2002

Industrialist’s brother shot, cops find no case

Gautam Dheer
Panchkula, January 22: BHUPINDER Goyal fears for his life. Last month, he lodged an FIR with the district police informing them of the threat to his life. Even as the police, after investigations, have disregarded Goyal’s plea, his brother Mohinder Goyal was shot at in village Mallanwala, 15 km from Ferozepur, on Monday. The murder attempt was allegedly made by the same people that were named in the Panchkula FIR.

Worse still, in spite of the murderous attack, the district police say they are contemplating closing the case and even withdrawing the security cover provided to Goyal, a Sector 12-based industrialist. Turning a blind eye to the Ferozepur shootout, SP Manoj Yadava says: ‘‘In-depth investigations revealed the case to be a false one. We are deciding to close it.” Yadava says they’ll also withdraw the security cover.

Goyal insists that the police are biased against him because of the involvement of Pappu Yadav alias Rajesh Ranjan, the controversial MP from Purnea in Bihar and the brother-in-law of Laloo Yadav. The MP allegedly even made threatening calls to him. The independent MP and Jan Kranti Morcha leader was booked and arrested in March last year in Patna for allegedly threatening a sitting RJD MLA there. SP Yadava admits the MP’s name popped up during investigations. ‘‘Early last month, Goyal informed us he was threatened, allegedly by Pappu Yadav, an MP from Bihar,’’ says Manoj Yadava. ‘‘I even called him (the MP) up in New Delhi. He has nothing to do with the case,’’ the SP adds.

The police, instead, blame the Goyals for bringing in Pappu Yadav. ‘‘It was they (Goyals) who approached MP Yadav against the Aggarwals,’’ sources say. This, Bhupinder Goyal denies. ‘‘My brother was shot at yesterday and we are still not getting justice,’’ he says.

Mohinder Goyal was shot at allegedly by Rajinder Aggarwal and his son Rishi Aggarwal (The two are accused in the Panchkula FIR. Goyal had alleged the father-son duo came to his house, assaulted and threatened him). Four others are also accused in the shootout. As per the case registered in Ferozepur, Mohinder Goyal was first shot at and then waylaid by ‘‘half a dozen armed men who later abducted him’’. The incident reportedly occurred on the outskirts of Ferozepur, where he had gone to finalise a business deal. Mohinder has been admitted to the Mallanwala Civil Hospital. He has complained his alleged abductors made him sign blank papers. The Ferozepur police have booked the six accused for attempt to murder, abduction, illegal detention and rioting.

The Aggarwals, who are relatives of the Goyals, reside in Sector 8, Chandigarh. The two families are at loggerheads over a business dispute. When Newsline tried to contact Pappu Yadav at his residence in New Delhi, the attendant there said the MP was not at home and has been admitted to AIIMS for treatment of a leg problem.