Chand pleads not guilty to murder, assault charges
The accused appeared before High Court judge Justice Daniel Goundar through Skype video conferencing and denied that on July 25, 2018 he attempted to murder his girlfriend Sonam Chand.
ANausori man pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder and assault on Monday.
The accused Anit Chand appeared before High Court judge Justice Daniel Goundar through video conferencing and denied that on July 25, 2018 he attempted to murder his girlfriend Sonam Chand.
The alleged incident happened in Vatuwaqa where the complainant resides in a flat.
Chand also denied assaulting Sheenal Swastika therefore causing her actual bodily harm.
His lawyer Tirath Sharma told the court that the accused was also injured during the altercation and had a cut on his neck for which he was hospitalised.
Mr Sharma said both the accused and his girlfriend fell into a drain. He lost so much blood that made him unconscious.
The accused claims that on the day of the alleged incident he went to the complainant’s home.
He confronted her inside her bedroom to ask why she was not taking his calls.
This allegedly angered the complainant
He claims that in self-defence he allegedly injured the complainant when he grabbed the knife from her and also injured the complainant.
who grabbed a knife and struck the accused who got injured.
He claims that in self-defence he allegedly injured the complainant when he grabbed the knife from her and also injured the complainant. Justice Goundar questioned Mr Sharma why the accused had no medical report to which he said the accused was taken into Police custody for questioning immediately after he was discharged from the Colonial War Memorial Hospital.
He was then charged and produced at the Nausori Magistrates Court. Mr Sharma submitted that if released on bail the accused would reside with his parents at Vuci Road, Nausori and will abide with any condition that is imposed by the court. The court also heard that he is a single parent to an eight-year-old child who is now being looked after by his family members while he is in the Suva Remand Centre.
The accused is the head of the Electrical Department at Vinod Patel Hardware Store.
The case will be called again today for bail hearing to give time to the prosecution to get a response from the complainant. State lawyer Unaisi Tamanikaiyaroi appeared for the prosecution.