Vikas, his friend arrested, charged with bid to kidnap
LAW CATCHES UP Police slap tougher charges under Sections 365, 511 of IPC on duo based on legal opinion, CCTV footage; to be produced in court today
CHANDIGARH: In a U-turn, Chandigarh Police on Wednesday again arrested Haryana BJP president Subhash Barala’s son Vikas and his friend Ashish Kumar after non-bailable attempt to kidnap charges were slapped on them in the Varnika Kundu stalking case
Both the accused, who surrendered at the fortified Sector 26 police station amid high drama and media presence, were interrogated for more than two hours before being booked under Sections 365 (kidnapping or abduction with intent to confine a person) and Section 511 (attempt to commit offence punishable with life imprisonment) of the IPC.
The arrest comes four days after they were released on bail within hours of being arrested for stalking Varnika, an IAS officer’s daughter and a disc jockey, on Friday midnight. Buckling under public outrage and media pressure for diluting charges against Barala and Ashish, the police were forced to impose tougher charges.
“There is no political pressure (on us). We are doing everything objectively, professionally and independently,” Chandigarh DGP Tajender Singh Luthra said. “Following interrogation, new facts emerged and we decided to press two new charges. These are Sections 365 and 511. The accused will be produced in court on Thursday. We will seek police remand from the court. We need to re-construct the crime scene and confront them with the evidence at hand,” Luthra said.
“The arrests and new charges are based on legal opinion, new pieces of evidence in the form of CCTV footage, statement of witnesses and the map of the route,” he said. On the accused refusing to give their blood and urine samples for medical examination on Saturday, the DGP said, “The doctor on duty wanted to take the samples, but the accused being law graduates knew the law too well. Therefore, they refused to give their sam-
ples. However, such refusal can be held against them in the investigation and during the trial.”
DRAMATIC SURRENDER
Vikas and Ashish arrived at the Sector 26 police station in a white Ford Endeavour at 2.30 pm as cops struggled to keep the media and public at bay. The police threw an elaborate security ring in the police station complex.
Minutes before the surrender, state BJP spokesman Jawahar Yadav held a press meet in Sector 7. “Vikas and the BJP are separate. The opposition parties are trying to mislead people by saying that the BJP is influencing the probe,” he said. Subhash Barala, who was also there, said his son would be joining police probe in a few minutes and left abruptly after receiving a call.
CHANDIGARH: Senior Haryana IAS officer Virender Singh Kundu, whose daughter was stalked by Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala’s son Vikas here on Friday night, knows his fight for justice won’t be easy. What hurts him most is that not a single person from the ruling BJP expressed regret or remorse after the incident.
“We are determined. Come what may, we will not back off. And that means even an intervention by the Almighty,’’ Kundu said on Wednesday.
“The IAS fraternity across the country has expressed solidarity. People cutting across party affiliations have expressed support. I am grateful to them for understanding our concern and agony.
But not a single person from the BJP has approached us or cared to even send a message. That hurts. I’ve worked in Haryana for 30 years and people from all walks of life, including political parties, know me. If those affiliated to the ruling BJP are hesitant to even put in a word of regret, one can understand why they are diffident. It’s just politics for them,’’ Kundu said.
Though on Tuesday state BJP chief Subhash Barala said Kundu’s daughter, Varnika, was like his own and whatever lawful action is required should be taken against Vikas and his friend Ashish, coming three days after the incident, the remarks were too little and too late for the Kundu family.
The IAS officer said that on the contrary, BJP worker Krishan Dhull, who he knows, approached him on Friday night to broker a deal in the case.
“Dhull, who provided surety for Vikas and bailed him out of custody, even insisted I speak to Subhash Barala. I told him that he should be ashamed of pleading their case. I asked whether he knew that my daughter was stalked by these educated miscreants. I refused to speak to Barala and told him that it did not matter whose son Vikas is. I told him that he needn’t come to my place with this plea,’’ said the senior bureaucrat.
Kundu said the accused were educated adults who should pay for their act irrespective of status and party affiliation.
“If a person like me with all kinds of resources does not take this fight to its logical conclusion, who will?,’’ the officer said.
› We are determined. Come what may, we will not back off. And that means even an intervention by the Almighty. People cutting across party affiliations have expressed support.
VIRENDER KUNDU, IAS officer