Confusion over SGPC chief's whereabouts

By Sarabjit Pandher

CHANDIGARH, OCT. 7. Confusion prevails over the whereabouts of the first woman president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Bibi Jagir Kaur, especially after the CBI arrested five of her aides in the case related to the death of her daughter, Harpreet Kaur.

While information from various sources ranges between her being arrested and questioned at an undisclosed place to having gone underground, the issue seems to be snowballing into a headache for the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), especially for the Chief Minister, Mr. Parkash Singh Badal.

On April 21, Harpreet Kaur alias Rosy was reported to have died from a cause which is being disputed from various quarters. She was hurriedly cremated without the police making any inquest. Neither was the mandatory post-mortem conducted, fuelling speculations that the girl had been murdered.

Since then there has been a spate of petitions, including one from a youth identified as Mr. Kanwaljeet Singh, who claims to be the husband of the deceased. He has charged that Harpreet was pregnant when she died.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court then handed over the inquiry to the CBI. Recently, the investigating agency informed the court that an FIR under various sections relating to culpable homicide (not amounting to murder), illegal confinement and forced abortion had been registered.

Since last Thursday, when the CBI arrested five persons, including an Akali leader from Phagwara, Mr. Paramjit Singh Raipur, his relative, Mrs. Dalvinder Kaur, and their three servants, speculations on Bibi Jagir Kaur's future have been rife.

Police intelligence sources said the CBI was acting on its own and had not sought any co-operation. They admitted that the residence of Bibi Jagir Kaur, her relatives and friends were being watched. So far there was no information.

Along with Bibi Jagir Kaur, the whereabouts of her security personnel, Assistant Sub Inspector Nishan Singh, is also not known.

The police personnel and other staff deputed with Bibi Jagir Kaur, who is also an MLA, have also been questioned by the CBI.

Meanwhile, efforts by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) to trace Bibi Jagir Kaur have also not succeeded. Reports said that the CMO was attempting to verify every rumour that arose out of the prevailing confusion. An official on condition of anonymity said that Mr. Badal had issued instructions to his staff to trace the SGPC chief.

However, resentment is brewing in the ruling SAD, where unanimity seems to be developing that Bibi Jagir Kaur had become a huge liability on the party and a source of immense embarrassment.

Reports said that leaders of different hues in the party were now pressuring Mr. Badal to seek Bibi Jagir Kaur's resignation or sack her immediately.

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