Court rejects Vikas plea seeking call records of Varnika Kundu, her father

A COURT on Monday dismissed the application filed by the counsel of accused Vikas Barala, seeking call records of IAS officer V S Kundu and his victim daughter Varnika Kumdu, and CCTV footage of Sector 26 Police Station in Chandigarh in a case related to her stalking.

The application was rejected by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Barjinder Pal Singh, stating it as “not maintainable at this stage”. Meanwhile, the court has fixed October 11 for framing charges against the accused duo, Vikas Barala and his accomplice Ashish. Earlier, on October 6, Vikas had filed an application in court through his counsel, seeking call records of the complainant and the victim and the CCTV footage at the police station.

Meanwhile, during the arguments in court on Monday, the prosecution stated that the CCTV footage of the police station cannot be provided as the drive is overwritten now and regarding the call records of the complainant and the victim, the prosecution said it was an evidence which could not be shared with the defence at the moment as the case was under investigation. After hearing the arguments of both sides, the court rejected Barala’s application.

Chandigarh Police has already submitted a 300-page chargesheet against Vikas and Ashish for stalking and trying to abduct Varnika. The chargesheet has been submitted under sections 354D (stalking), wrongful restraint (341) and abduction attempt (365).

The chargesheet has around 48 pieces of evidence, including Varnika and her father as the prime witnesses.

In the charge sheet, police have also included CCTV footage of all the routes where the accused were seen at the time of the incident. Besides, the hospital staff, which conducted the medical examination of the accused, are also on the witness list of the police.

Vikas and Ashish are in judical custody at present and their bail applications have been rejected by the court.