Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala’s son Vikas Barala (23) and his friend Ashish Kumar (27), who were arrested on charges of stalking and attempting to abduct Varnika Kundu, an IAS officer’s daughter, were sent to two-day police custody on Thursday.
The duo was arrested on Wednesday and produced before a magistrate court on Thursday afternoon after hours of interrogation.
Police had sought two days remand of the accused from the court, saying it wanted to reconstruct the crime scene while the defence counsel submitted before the court that the case is based merely on apprehensions of kidnapping, which has been built under pressure.
The defence counsel also submitted that “media trial” was going on in the case, further pointing out that no recoveries were to be made from the two accused.
Civil judge Barjinder Pal Singh remanded the two accused to police custody till August 12.
The two accused, who left the Sector 26 police station here amid tight police security, reached the district court complex around 2.20pm. Vikas Barala tried to cover his face with a handkerchief during the proceedings at court.
Notably, the duo was re-arrested on Wednesday after they were charged with a non-bailable offence of attempted abduction under Section 365 of the IPC and section 511, which relates to an attempt to commit an offence punishable with life or other imprisonment.
Vikas and Ashish had earlier been arrested on Saturday following the complaint of Varnika Kundu (29), daughter of Haryana Additional Chief Secretary VS Kundu but were released on bail as they had been booked under bailable Sections of the IPC and the Motor Vehicles Act.
The two accused had a day before joined the police investigation at the Sector 26 police station here, where they were interrogated for several hours and later, arrested.
A day before, Chandigarh Director General of Police Tejinder Singh luthra had said that the UT Police will do “everything under the sun” to ensure the 29-year-old complainant gets justice.
He had said, “There is no political pressure on us and we are doing everything objectively, professionally and independently.”
The Chandigarh stalking incident had triggered a nation-wide outrage and a spate of protests. Police and Administration had also come under widespread criticism for allegedly shielding the two accused.
Varnika Kundu had complained to police that the two accused had stalked and intimidated her and tried to abduct her on August 4-5 night.
Varnika had thanked everyone and termed the arrests of accused as a “great development”.
Chandigarh Police to Court Seeking two days police remand of Vikas Barala and his friend Ashish Kumar, the Chandigarh Police told the court, “The accused were arrested on August 9 and the interrogation has been conducted, whereas due paucity of time the detailed interrogation of the accused, as to know their motive and involvement in the crime has to be unearthed as well as further investigation is required to be conducted in the presence of accused regarding re-construction of scene of crime, motive behind stalking and attempt to kidnap the complainant, how the accused came to know the victim, their intention to commit the offence, to know their previous antecedents/criminal background, any involvement in crime elsewhere.”
Surya Prakash, counsel for the accused alleges “media trial”
Advocate Surya Prakash, counsel for the accused while talking to the mediapersons said that the section 365 (kidnapping or abduction with intent to confine person) and Section 511 (attempt to commit offence punishable with life imprisonment were added to the FIR after the “media trial” of the case.
The sections were added only on the basis of apprehensions of the complainant while the accused had made no attempt to kidnap her. Under pressure, the Chandigarh Police had a day before added fresh charges to the FIR against the two accused, he said.
He claimed that the accused has done nothing wrong, that is why they joined the investigations on Wednesday even when there were chances of them being arrested by the Chandigarh Police.
Prakash, however, did not comment on the allegations of stalking and others charges leveled against the accused.
Accused denied the charges of attempt to kidnap during interrogation by Chandigarh Police, accused Vikas and Ashish have denied of any attempt being made by them to kidnap Varnika Kundu during Friday midnight (August 4-5). While admitting to have consumed alcohol on the night of the incident, both have denied charges of stalking the complainant and making an attempt to kidnap her. They have told Police that they were going on the same route on the night of the incident but were arrested by UT Police at the Housing Board. It is only after being arrested they came to know about the charges leveled against them, said police sources.