Hooda's aide asked to join probe immediately in sedition case

Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda's close aide Virender, who failed to appear before Rohtak police yesterday in connection with sedition charge, has been directed to join investigation immediately.
"We have told his (Virender) lawyer to join investigation immediately as the matter is quite serious," Rohtak SP Shanshak Anand said today.
"He (lawyer) gave us assurance that Virender will soon join," the SP said.
Virender, a Congress leader, was booked by Rohtak Police on February 24 on sedition charges after surfacing of a 90-second audio clip of a purported conversation between him and another person, allegedly to incite violence during Jat agitation.

Police had asked him to join investigation by yesterda but he failed to appear. Lawyer of Virender has requested seven-day time for joining the investigation.
The FIR against Virender and Man Singh Dalal was registered under various sections of the IPC, including Section 124-A (Sedition) and Section 120-B (Conspiracy), Section 153-A (promoting enmity between classes) and Section 153-B (imputation, assertion prejudicial to national integration).

The FIR against the duo was registered on a complaint of a Bhiwani resident Pankaj Kumar.
Virender, advisor to Hooda, had earlier accepted that the voice in the clip was his but alleged the conversation had been doctored.

Meanwhile, police said more than 75 persons have been arrested in Rohtak alone in connection with the incidents of arson and violence during Jat agitation.
"Over 350 FIRs have been registered so far," the SP said.
Asked about recovery of "stolen" articles, he said police had recovered kitchen appliances, Ray Ban sunglasses, liquor bottles, branded shoes which were "looted" by arsonists during Jat agitation.
Asked about sons of two Haryana cops who were booked for allegedly "storing" stolen goods during Jat agitation, he said one of the accused identified as Ajay had been arrested while another one Mandeep had been asked to join investigation.

Police had, last week, conducted a raid at shop which was taken by both accused on rent in Rohtak and had recovered liquor bottles, branded jackets, shoes among other material from the shop.
The SP said the raids were being conducted to recover more "stolen" goods and materials by arsonists from shops and commercial establishments.
Shops and commercial establishments belonging to non-Jats were first looted and then set on fire, traders had said.
Business community in Rohtak alone had claimed financial loss of about Rs 1,000 crore during property damage and looting incident during Jat stir.