The additional district and sessions judge Panchkula, Sanjay Sandhir, on Wednesday dismissed the anticipatory bail application of Doon MLA and Himachal Congress General Secretary, Ram Kumar Chaudhary, wanted in murder of 24-year old Jyoti Rani, who was found dead last month in Panchkula.
The court turned down the bail application after hearing the prosecution that Ram Kumar should not be granted bail as his custodial interrogation is required in the murder case of Jyoti Rani. Panchkula's Assistant Commissioner of police, Virendar Singh, who appeared in the case before the court today opposed the bail application on the ground that they need to question Ram Kumar in the case for which he had already been served notices asking him to join the investigation but he had not done so and had been evading the police questioning. The deceased's father Buti Ram's counsel Amit Dudeja who also appeared in the court pleaded that the MLA be denied the anticipatory bail as his involvement in the case has emerged during the investigations conducted by the police, so far.
Another Advocate Prem Jagat, who filed an application in the court claiming that Jyoti Rani was a Dalit and hence should get justice also opposed Ram Kamar’s bail plea. Advocate Prem Jagat also pleaded that the reasons given by Ram Kumar that he has to comply with the constitutional duty of taking oath as he has recently been elected from Doon in Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha polls, is also not a valid ground.
Advocate, A S Sukhija, who appeared on behalf of Ram Kumar Chaudhary in the case argued before the court that police have failed to establish the direct role of the MLA in the case till date. “The provision for anticipatory bail has come after the amendment in CRPC to protect the innocent. As of now police case is only that there is a doubt of his (MLA's) involvement in the case and is based on probability. The fact that mobile location of Ram Kumar Chaudhary is in the same area where the girl was found murdered doesn’t prove his involvement in the case,” he argued.
Sukhija also rebutted police allegations that Ram Kumar Chaudhary knew the girl personally. He held that Ram Kumar had accompanied his friend Rajinder to Jyoti Rani's sister's marriage but didn’t know Jyoti Rani.
The defence counsel AS Sukhija also pleaded in the court that Ram Kumar Chaudhary is a victim of political conspiracy. “Police doesn’t have any conclusive evidence in the case and it appears that he (Ram Kumar) is a victim of political vendetta,” Sukhija said.Haryana Police likely to get Look Out Circulars issued
Chandigarh: After failing to nab an absconding Ram Kumar Chaudhary, the Haryana police is likely to get “Look Out Circulars” (LOC) issued at all the international airports in the country. “There is an apprehension that Ram Kumar Chaudhary might flee out of the country, for which we shall be getting his LoC issued preventing him to get out of the country. We shall be approaching the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to get the LoC issued against the MLA in the case, as he had been evading arrest despite the arrest warrants issued by a local court on December 19. We are getting his passport details, so that the notices could be issued”, said ACP Virender Singh.