Dilip Singh of Namdhari sect declared PO; asked to surrender by April 8

Mohali: A Special CBI Court in Mohali has issued a public notice declaring Thakur Dilip Singh as a Proclaimed Offender (PO) in connection with multiple criminal cases linked to the Namdhari sect succession dispute and two alleged murder cases.Taking a serious view of the accused's continued absence, the court of Special CBI Judge Baljinder Singh Sra noted that Dilip Singh neither appeared before the court nor disclosed his current whereabouts despite repeated summons over several years. The case has been under investigation for nearly nine years.The court has directed Dilip Singh to appear before it by April 8, failing which he will be formally declared a fugitive. Following such a declaration, the authorities may initiate proceedings to attach his properties and escalate efforts to locate him, including the possibility of issuing an international Red Corner Notice.The case pertains to multiple FIRs registered against Dilip Singh across different police stations, which were later consolidated and handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2017. The agency subsequently registered the case in Chandigarh and began the probe.Dilip Singh has allegedly been named in connection with the murder of Mata Chand Kaur, a conspiracy to target Satguru Uday Singh and Jagtar Singh, and the killing of Namdhari follower Avtar Singh.The succession dispute dates back to 2012 following the death of Satguru Jagjit Singh, who had not publicly named a successor. This led to competing claims within the sect, with Uday Singh eventually assuming leadership at Sri Bhaini Sahib, a move opposed by Dilip Singh.According to the CBI investigation, Dilip Singh is also accused of masterminding a conspiracy in December 2015 to eliminate Satguru Uday Singh and Jagtar Singh through a tiffin bomb blast during the Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan in Jalandhar. An FIR in this regard was registered in Jalandhar.With the issuance of the PO notice, enforcement agencies are expected to intensify efforts to trace the accused and ensure his appearance before the court. MSID:: 129882559 413 |