Two shooters involved in the sensational murder of Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) chief Nafe Singh Rathi last month were arrested today. The arrested individuals, identified as Saurabh and Ashish, were captured in a joint operation between Haryana Police and the Special Cell of Delhi Police carried out in Goa. Both shooters are reportedly associated with the notorious Kapil Sangwan gang.

On February 25, at a railway crossing in Haryana’s Jhajjar district, a Toyota Fortuner carrying Mr Rathi came to an unexpected halt, only to be ambushed by a mysterious i20 car. A cinematic scene ensued as five men emerged, unleashing a hail of bullets upon the SUV. The 66-year-old Mr Rathi and a loyal aide were killed, while two others fought for survival in critical condition. The assailants spared the life of Mr Rathi’s nephew, who was driving the vehicle, instructing him to inform the family about the incident.

Jhajjar Superintendent of Police, Arpit Jain, said that efforts are underway to identify and arrest the other shooters. The car used by the attackers has already been recovered. 

The four main suspects in the murder have been identified, and police teams are conducting raids across different states to apprehend them, Mr Jain said. The investigation has also extended to questioning individuals named in the FIR, including former BJP MLA Naresh Kaushik and others like Vijender Rathee, Sandeep Rathee, and Rajpal alias Pale Ram.

One individual, Dilip Singh, a resident of Rajasthan’s Balotra, has been arrested in connection with threat calls made to the two sons of the late INLD leader. However, during questioning, he was not found to have any direct ties to known gangsters or criminal networks. Singh, who was following some gangsters on social media, remains under interrogation, police said.

Nafe Singh Rathi’s family had reported receiving 18 threat calls from an unknown number. Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij announced earlier this week that the investigation into Mr Rathi’s killing would be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Senior INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala has accused the BJP-JJP government in Haryana of failing to provide adequate security to Rathi despite threats to his life.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today responded to the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) eighth summons related to the money laundering probe concerning irregularities in the Delhi excise policy case. Despite deeming the summons as “illegal”, Mr Kejriwal expressed his willingness to answer the probe agency’s questions, proposing a date after March 12.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said Mr Kejriwal will attend the hearing through video conferencing. This move comes after the ED issued its eighth summons on February 27, setting March 4 as the scheduled date for Mr Kejriwal to appear at the agency’s headquarters.

The ongoing probe revolves around alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi excise policy (2021-22). The ED seeks Mr Kejriwal’s statement on matters such as policy formulation and allegations of bribery.

Mr Kejriwal has previously skipped seven summonses issued by the ED, labeling them as “illegal and politically motivated.” The AAP, in a statement, urged the ED to refrain from sending further summonses and await the court’s decision.

The excise policy, introduced to bring an overhaul to the national capital’s liquor business, promised a more modern shopping experience with discounts and offers. However, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena’s order to investigate alleged irregularities prompted the policy’s cancellation. The AAP accuses Mr Saxena’s predecessor, Anil Baijal, of making last-minute changes that adversely affected the policy’s revenue expectations.

Two prominent AAP leaders, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, are already under judicial custody in connection with the case. Mr Sisodia, the former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26 last year, while Mr Singh, a Rajya Sabha member, was arrested by the ED on October 5.

Lawmakers in parliament and state legislatures are not immune from prosecution in bribery cases, the Supreme Court said today in a landmark verdict by a seven-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud.

The verdict set aside a 1998 judgment in which a five-member Constitution bench had upheld the immunity for lawmakers in cases where MPs or MLAs take bribes for a speech or a vote in the House.

Bribery, the court said, is not protected by parliamentary privileges and the interpretation of the 1998 verdict is contrary to Articles 105 and 194 of the Constitution.