Khatta Singh speaking on hidden camera

Tehelka – How long were you working for the Baba?
Khatta Singh – I was his driver for almost 8-10 years. 

You must be aware of the murder of Ranjit Singh?
Yes. There have been so many murders. I can give you a complete list. How many will you write about?

You were at the Dera at the time?
Yes, I was at the Dera only.

Everyone talks about Ranjit’s murder but there is no proof.
So many witnesses are there. You give me some assurance and I will provide you witnesses. I am not afraid.

Why did they get Ranjit murdered?
Ranjit’s sister was raped. She told him about it. The Baba feared that Ranjit might file a case. The CBI was investigating the Baba at the time. They got afraid. Ranjit had stopped coming to the Dera. Initially they thought that they would send some people to Ranjit’s place and convince him to come back. But Ranjit refused. They thought if Ranjit is not coming to the Dera, he could be considering going against them. Ranjit’s sister was not married at the time. These people feared that if her medical examination was done, everything would be exposed. Hence it was decided to get Ranjit killed.

Have you just heard about these murders or do you have a first-hand account?
I have seen it all with my own eyes.
Give us an example.
There was this manager Fakir Chand. He was with Baba Satnam, the previous Dera chief, for almost 30 years. After Gurmeet Singh took over, Fakir Chand was at the Dera for about one-and-a-half years.

Were you the Baba’s driver when Fakir Chand was at the Dera?
I was not the Baba’s driver at that time. But I used to visit the Dera every day from my home.

Why was Fakir Chand murdered?
The first reason had to do with financial matters. The second was that Gurmeet Singh feared that people might start worshipping Fakir Chand once Baba Satnam was dead.

What proof do you have of Fakir Chand’s murder?
I can tell you the names of his killers. What more proof do you need?

Who were these people?
The ex-driver of the Baba, Govind, and Baldev Singh Bahedi, Sukhdev Singh Bawana and another man named Resham. Sukhdev Singh himself told me this. At Kurukshetra, there was a programme organised by the Dera. I was called by the Baba at about 8-10pm. He asked me if I knew anything. When I replied in the negative, he told me that Fakir Chand had been killed in such and such manner.

The Baba himself told you this?
Yes, the Baba told this to me. After that, Sukhdev Singh narrated the whole story — that they were four people, and that they threw Fakir Chand in the river.

Why was Chhatrapati killed?
The CBI investigation was going on at the time. The Baba’s men were preparing affidavits to say that the allegations were baseless. A tehsildar had gone to the girls’ hostel for the same purpose. Chhatrapati wrote a story about this in the newspaper. When the Baba saw it he was enraged. In a fury he asked his henchmen if they were going to do something about it.
There are reports that the Baba has a large number of weapons?
He had a large number of weapons, there is no doubt about it.

Licenced or without licence?
Both. They have everything. For the murder of Ranjit they used a revolver of a Punjab Police constable. When the job was done, they returned the revolver.

You told us there are some people who have been castrated.
Yes, this has happened. You should raise this issue more than anything else.

How many such people are there in the Dera?
There are at least 150-200 such people.

You say seven murders have been committed. How many rapes do you know of?
Rape? I doubt if there is any girl left in the Dera who has not been raped.