Chd cops not under pressure, says BJP; Cong not convinced
The Union Territory’s police force is not facing any political pressure in handling Friday’s stalking case, in which the Haryana BJP chief’s son and one more person have been booked, party MP Kirron Kher said on Monday.
Assuring that justice would be done to the victim and her family, she lamented that certain “wild allegations” were being made, including one that CCTV footage has gone missing, and stressed that law would take its course.
Meanwhile, the Congress accused the Central government and the BJP of “conspiring to hush up” the case against Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala’s son Vikas.
AICC media incharge Randeep Surjewala said the Chandigarh Police comes directly under the Union home ministry, and it is trying to protect the Baralas.
He also accused Chandigarh Police DSP Satish Kumar, who is probing the case, of changing his statement within hours, allegedly at the behest of the Centre.
The Congress leader also asked if the BJP government and the UT Administration answer as to how all those CCTV cameras have stopped functioning and how all the CCTV footage had gone missing.
The victim’s father, a senior Haryana IAS officer, told reporters he had full faith in the system and was grateful to Chandigarh police for “saving” his daughter’s life. He said he had requested the home department immediately after the FIR was lodged that care be taken to secure CCTV footage.
”Unless somebody from the family (of the accused) is trying to sabotage the investigations and the prosecution, they are not involved in this, we are very clear. We do not hold the family responsible,” he added.
THE VICTIM’S FATHER SAID THAT UNLESS SOMEBODY FROM THE FAMILY TRIES TO SABOTAGE THE PROBE, HE DOES NOT HOLD THE FAMILY RESPONSIBLE
Meanwhile, Chandigarh BJP vice-president Ramveer Bhatti drew flak for making controversial remarks on the incident, and came out with clarifications.
Asked about a section of media quoting him as saying that girls and women should not go out alone at midnight, Bhatti said, “What I meant to convey is that it is the responsibility of par- ents to watch over their children and their activities.”
“It is a general statement and not directed at the victim. I am saying, be it a boy or a girl, parents should be watching what they are doing. I am not saying that girls should be confined to their homes,” he said.
He described the stalking incident as “unfortunate and shameful”. “It is a shameful incident. Whatever happened is unfortunate,” Bhatti said.
Bhatti also attacked the Congress leaders, saying why did they remain “silent” in the rape and murder case involving a minor at Kotkhai in Himachal Pradesh.
“See their insensitivity... I am saying that such incidents, wherever these may take place in the country, are highly condemnable,” Bhatti said.
Barala’s son Vikas (23) and his friend Ashish Kumar (27) were earlier arrested for allegedly stalking the woman, but released later on bail as they had been booked under bailable sections of the IPC and the Motor Vehicles Act.
The victim, who has been interacting with the media after the incident, said on Monday that had she not been the daughter of an IAS officer, things could have ended differently.
“If I had been a village girl, probably I would not have the resources to fight these guys,” she said.
However, she also said, “If we (being daughter of IAS officer) don’t do it (pursue the case), then who will. Like with my father and his post, if we are not going to do this (pursue the case), then how can we expect others to raise their voices,” she said.
“Had it been a daughter of a labourer being stalked by some petty criminals, will the offence become any less?” her father asked the media. “They are as much citizens of this country as I am or as that boy is.”