Chandigarh stalking: Vikas Barala admits to consuming beer

The accused, Barala (23) and Kumar (27), consumed beer that two had purchased from a shop in Sector 9, Chandigarh.

Confronted with CCTV footage, Vikas Barala, son of Haryana BJP president Subash Barala, after admitting he was driving the vehicle, also accepted that he - along with Ashish Kumar - had consumed beer before hitting the road when Varnika Kundu was allegedly stalked.

Footage from a Sector 9 wine shop showed the accused buying beer. (HT File)

As per the investigations the accused, Barala (23) and Kumar (27), had consumed beer that two had purchased from a shop in Sector 9, Chandigarh. The two had consumed the same in the vehicle.

During questioning of the accused, police confronted them with the CCTV footage. Sources add that the duo have admitted to have consumed beer in the vehicle. This is corroborated with the CCTV footage procured by the police and as well as opinion of the doctor that said “their breath smelled of liquor”.

However, police could not quantify the amount of liquor in their blood as the two had refused to give samples of blood and urine during the medical examination. Footage from a Sector 9 wine shop showed the accused buying beer.

As per the complaint made by Varnika Kundu, Barala, who was driving the Tata Safari Storme on intervening night of August 4 and 5 had chased her for 20 minutes. The vehicle is registered in the name of Jaideep of Fatehabad, Haryana. Jaideep is a relative of Vikas Barala.

Barala and Kumar were arrested on Wednesday under Section 365 (kidnapping) with Section 511 (attempt to abduct) of Indian Penal Code (IPC). The duo had earlier been arrested on August 5 under Section 354 D (stalking), 341 (wrongful restraint) of IPC and 185 of Motor Vehicle Act (driving by a drunken person) and released on bail.