Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Tuesday demanded that the Chandigarh police be given a “free hand” to probe the Varnika Kundu stalking case, with no attempt to pressurise them in any way.
“The police should be allowed to investigate the high-profile case freely and independently,” said Capt Amarinder while talking to mediapersons outside the Parliament House before meeting the Prime Minister on the farm debt waiver issue.
He said: “No attempt should be made to dilute the charges against the accused, one of whom is the son of the Haryana BJP president...No political interference should be brooked in the case and the police should have complete authority to probe the matter in a neutral manner, as per the due process of law.”
The Chief Minister, in response to a question, dismissed the demand for the resignation of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on moral grounds over the stalking case as absurd. “How can Rajnath be held responsible for the incident, or for that matter for any such irresponsible behaviour involving individuals or party leaders or their kin in any part of the country, be it even Punjab,” he asked.
“However, action needs to be taken against the accused to ensure justice for the girl and also to send out a strong signal that misuse of political powers to undermine any institution, including the police, was not acceptable,” said Captain Amarinder, while reiterating his unequivocal and strong condemnation of the incident.
The Chief Minister also urged Chandigarh MP Kiron Kher, whom he met briefly outside the Parliament that the culprits in the stalking case should be dealt with strictly, as per the law.
Capt Amarinder also batted for strict investigation in the matter, saying that a strict investigation will be done as to why the CCTV cameras were not working on that particular day when the incident of stalking and harassing of woman took place.
Coming down heavily over the comment of a BJP leader saying that the victim should not have been out at such a late hour, he said: “We are living in a modern world where women are self-dependant and have to work late nights.”
“This is clearly a case of abducting and it has nothing to do with women working or moving out in the late hours at night,” he said.
On August 5, Haryana BJP President Subhash Barala’s son Vikas Barala was arrested on the charges of stalking and harassing the IAS officer’s daughter in Chandigarh, but granted bail within hours.