Police find CCTV proof of chase; Centre seeks report

Cops fail to invoke kidnapping section; as clamour for Barala’s resignation grows, BJP bosses decide to brazen it out

CHANDIGARH/NEW DELHI: Chandigarh Police late on Monday night said it retrieved CCTV footage that supported a disc jockey’s charge that Haryana BJP chief’s son and his friend followed her car in a midnight chase.

The police had faced criticism earlier on the day after they said the CCTVs along the route were not working.

“The Chandigarh Police have retrieved footage of five CCTV cameras on the route, capturing the chase of victim’s vehicle by the alleged vehicle of the accused,” a Chandigarh Police officer told Hindustan Times. The footage clearly showed the victim’s car being followed by a white SUV, he said.

The footage is vital to proving the charge that BJP leaders Subhash Barala’s son Vikas and his friend Ashish Kumar followed 29-year-old Varnika Kundu as she was driving home on August 4 at around 12.30am.

Battling accusations of hushing up the stalking incident that has sparked nationwide anger and raised questions over women safety, the Centre asked for a report from the Chandigarh administration.

The police, however, gave no clear explanation for not including stringent sections, including section 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly

and wrongfully to confine person) of the IPC against Vikas Barala and his accomplice.

In her first complaint to the police and media interaction later, Vernika clearly stated that abduction was the intent of two youth who stalked her on the busy Madhya Marg on Friday night. However, police claim that she didn’t bring up ‘kidnapping or abduction’ in her statement before the magistrate.

“We are investigating the matter with open mind,” senior superintendent of police Eish Singhal said at a hurriedly called press conference. He walked out when pressed for answers.

Earlier, SSP (traffic and security) Shashank Anand told mediapersons: “All CCTV cameras have been found non-functional. There were five cameras on the stretch, but no footage is available as their annual maintenance contract was over.”

“Even before you have registered a case under correct sections, the CCTV footage has gone. Does it not show that the union government is giving diktats to protect the Haryana BJP president and his son?” Congress

leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said earlier in the day.

While the Opposition kept up the demand for Barala’s resignation, sources in the BJP said there was no immediate plan to ask him to quit.

Party’s central leadership had not asked him to resign, senior leaders told HT. The BJP remained defiant, saying Barala should not be held accountable for his son’s conduct.

A BJP source said party president Amit Shah spoke to Barala and asked him to brief chief minister Manohar Lal about every fact of the incident, involving his son. Parliament resumes on Tuesday after a three-day break and the Opposition’s reaction could determine Barala’s fate, sources said.