E-Paper
Chandigarh stalking case: Varnika, father, IO to record statement at district court on Nov 22
On the intervening night of August 4 and 5, Varnika (29) lodged a complaint of stalking and attempt to kidnap against Vikas Barala (23) and Ashish Verma (27). Barala is the son of Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala.
The district court has summoned DJ Varnika Kundu, her father VS Kundu, and the investigating officer in the Chandigarh stalking case on November 22 for recording their statements.
On the intervening night of August 4 and 5, Varnika (29) lodged a complaint of stalking and attempt to kidnap against Vikas Barala (23) and Ashish Verma (27). Barala is the son of Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala.
The defence has also filed a revision petition that will also come up for hearing on November 22.
Earlier, it was argued that the charges against Barala and Verma were not framed on sustainable grounds and that by doing so, the lower court “acted like a post office”. Claiming that the charges were framed based on “fabricated evidence”, the defence said no case was made out against the accused.
The defence further said the complaint was drafted by Varnika’s father, Haryana IAS officer VS Kundu, after consulting legal luminaries. It argued that Varnika’s statement, recorded under Section 164 of the CrPC before the magistrate, did not corroborate with allegations in the complaint. “Varnika’s statement was silent on the attempt to kidnap,” added the defence.
On September 21, 42 days after the alleged stalking incident, Barala and Verma were charged with attempt to kidnap, stalking and wrongful restraint. Police, in its 200-page challan, cited 48 witnesses.
The accused were framed under Sections 341(wrongful restraint), 354D (stalking), 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person) read with 511 (attempting to commit offences) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the IPC and Section 185 (drunken driving) of the Motor Vehicles Act.
