Co-accused Ashish (centre) being taken for a medical examination at GMSH-16, Chandigarh, on Wednesday (left) (Expres photo by Jaipal Singh). Vikas Barala (blue shirt) being taken for a medical examination in Chandigarh Wednesday. (Express photo by Jasbir Malhi)
Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala’s son Vikas and his friend Ashish Kumar will be produced before a local court in Chandigarh on Thursday. They have been arrested on charges of stalking and attempting to kidnap Varnika Kundu, the daughter of senior IAS officer V S Kundu on the night of August 4. According to the Chandigarh administration’s report to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Vikas refused to undergo a medical test and give his blood and urine samples.
“The prosecution will cite this as one of the grounds while producing them before the court,” an official said.
Vikas and Ashish were interrogated for three hours and non-bailable charges under Section 365 and 511 of the IPC have been added to the FIR. This is the second time that Vikas and Ashish have been booked in the stalking case. Earlier, they were arrested for following a woman and driving under the influence of alcohol. In an exclusive video obtained by Indian Express, Ashish was caught on CCTV camera buying alcohol on the same night of the incident at a store in Sector 9.
Subhash Barala had previously held a press conference during which he described Varnika like a daughter to him and said police must take appropriate action against his son. “The moment I learnt that Chandigarh Police wanted Vikas to appear before them as part of the investigation, I asked him to abide by it. Vikas was out of Chandigarh. Therefore, I asked him to come back and go to the police. Earlier also, when Vikas was called by the police for questioning, he went and answered all the queries,” he said.
“If my son is named in this FIR, then the law should take its course. I say that the police should take appropriate action,” he added.
