Chandigarh: Honeypreet Insan, the 'adopted daughter' of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, on Tuesday came out of hiding after being on the run for over a month and was arrested by the Haryana Police.
The 36-year-old, whose real name is Priyanka Taneja, had gone missing soon after large-scale violence broke out in Panchkula following the conviction of Ram Rahim in a rape case a little more than a month ago.
Although the police had been unable to track her down, she appeared in interviews on two TV channels on Tuesday morning. Hours later, she was taken into custody by the police.
Confirming the arrest, Haryana DGP BS Sandhu said she was picked up from the Zirakpur-Patiala highway near Chandigarh. Panchkula police commissioner AS Chawla said she is being taken to Panchkula and will be produced before a magistrate on Wednesday.
Honeypreet was top of the list of 43 people who were wanted by Haryana police in connection with the Panchkula violence that left 41 people dead. She has been accused of inciting the mob of Dera supporters to riot after Ram Rahim was pronounced guilty as well as trying to help the Dera chief escape after he was sent to jail.
“Her role in the violence will be probed... who provided her shelter or support during her run from police will also be produced. She will be produced before a court (in Panchkula) tomorrow and we will seek her police remand,” Chawla said.
Chawla also said that another woman who was accompanying her was also taken into custody. He said Punjab Police has been informed about the arrest.
On Tuesday morning, Honeypreet had told a TV channel that she was depressed and devastated by the baseless allegations levelled against “Papa” and her.
She was last seen accompanying Ram Rahim in a chopper when he was flown to Rohtak jail on August 25, but dismissed reports that she had fled to Nepal. She said that she never left the country and was just waiting for the right legal advice. “I was shocked when a look-out notice was issued against me. I never fled anywhere,” she said.
She justified her vanishing act by saying that she was in shock after her father’s arrest. “Try and understand my condition. I was completely shaken to hear of sedition charges when I haven't even killed an ant. I was devastated,” she said in the TV interview, adding that she had complete faith in the judiciary and would approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
On her former husband Vishwas Gupta’s allegations that she shared a sexual relationship with Ram Rahim, Honeypreet questioned why people are tarnishing a father-daughter relationship. “Why are they flinging such malicious charges. Can’t a father love his daughter, can’t a father touch his daughter lovingly?” she said.
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