Chandigarh Police issues summons to Vikas Barala

After its flip-flop over a stalking incident involving a senior IAS officer's daughter by the son of Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala, the Chandigarh Police on Wednesday issued summons to Vikas Barala to join probe in the matter.

Vikas Barala was summoned to be present at the Sector 26 police station here at 11 a.m.

The summons notice was pasted at the gate of Subhash Barala's official residence in the city's upscale Sector 7 area on Wednesday.

The police official who pasted the notice said that this was being done as the accused was not there to receive the notice.

However, Krishan, who claimed to be a relative of the Barala family, told the media that the notice has been "received".

He, however, did not elaborate who received the notice; why the Chandigarh Police pasted it on the gate; where Vikas Barala was presently and if he (Vikas) would present himself before the police on Wednesday as asked to.

The conduct of the Chandigarh Police in this high profile case has been suspect.

It has been accused of favouring the accused Vikas Barala and his friend Ashish Kumar, who stalked and intimidated Varnika Kundu, daughter of Haryana Additional Chief Secretary V.S. Kundu on Saturday.

The police had booked and arrested Vikas Barala and his friend, both of whom were drunk, on milder charge of stalking the young woman after they chased her car on their SUV.

Both were bailed out within hours of the complaint.

The victim alleged that the youths tried to intimidate her and abduct her.

Even though the incident made national headlines, the Chandigarh Police had no idea till Wednesday about the whereabouts of the accused.

The Chandigarh Police claimed on Monday that it had reconstructed the crime scene of the incident. However, it was done so without even calling the accused who were out on bail.

Under criticism over its flip-flop, the Chandigarh Police on Monday said it was investigating the case with an "open mind" and more sections could be "added at a later stage" if required.

Subhash Barala made a statement on Tuesday saying that Varnika was "like his daughter" and that there was no pressure on the police from him or the Bharatiya Janata Party to save his son.

--IANS

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