After facing criticism from all quarters for allegedly shielding Haryana BJP chief’s son accused of stalking an IAS officer’s daughter, Chandigarh Police on Monday denied of any political pressure in the investigation of the case.
Chandigarh SSP Eish Singhal, while talking to the medipersons said the police were not under any political pressure in the investigation regarding the stalking case and also, blamed the media for conducting a “media trial” in the matter.
Asking the media not to make it a “media trial”, the SSP said investigation was underway.
Evading questions about ‘non-functional CCTV cameras’, Singhal said, “We are carrying out technical analysis of the CCTV cameras identified along the route.”
When asked again about the CCTV footage, the SSP said he could not comment on how much time it would take to get the technical analysis done.”
He added that they had re-constructed the complete scene of crime and doing everything to help the victim.
Responding on the allegations of diluting the case and going soft against the accused, Singhal said, “We are investigating the case with an open mind. If any section has to be added at a later stage, we will do it.”
When questioned on the role of the Chandigarh police in shielding the main accused, Vikas Barala and his friend Ashish Kumar, Singhal ended the press briefing abruptly, saying that he would inform media on developments in the case.
Earlier in the day, a senior UT police officer had said the CCTV cameras were unable to record movements of vehicles since August 1 and there is technical fault in the cameras.
Notably, the Chandigarh Police have been accused of not adding Section 365 (kidnapping) and 511 (attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life or other imprisonment) in the FIR registered against the duo, even as the complainant in her Facebook post had alleged an attempt to kidnap.
As the case was registered for stalking under Section 354-D (stalking) of IPC, which is a bailable offence, the two were granted bail within few hours after being arrested on Friday midnight.
Meanwhile, the Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher on Monday assured the victim and her family that justice would be done.
She also lamented that certain “wild allegations” like the one on CCTV footage going missing were being made and stressed that the law would take its course.
Kher, while talking to mediapersons said there was no political pressure on Chandigarh Police in the case. The Chandigarh police were a capable police force and would not going to let anyone play politics with it. They will get to the bottom of the case, she added.
She rubbished claims that the accused were booked under lenient provisions as one of them is related to the State BJP leader.
When asked about reported allegations that CCTV footage was missing, Kher said, “These people who are saying about footage going missing are making wild allegations. The police have assured the victim and her family that wherever CCTV cameras are installed and any footage that the cameras would have captured is going to be kept secure.”
Assuring the victim and her family that justice would be done, the MP further said, “As a mother, I can understand the sentiments of the victim’s family at this time. Whatever is legal and correct in this case, will be done.”
The BJP MP added that security will be further strengthened in the city so that such incidents are not repeated.