Himachal first-time legislator acquitted in murder case

A fast track court in Panchkula in Haryana Thursday acquitted first-time Himachal Pradesh legislator Ram Kumar Chaudhary and five others in a murder case.

Chaudhary, a Congress legislator from Doon, had been accused of murdering 24-year-old Jyoti, his former employee near Panchkula town Nov 21, 2012.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Roopam Singh however acquitted him and the others on the strength of discrepancies in the evidence produced by police.

Also, many witnesses turned hostile.

Victim's father Booty Ram said he would move the higher court against the trial court verdict.

"I will knock the doors of the high court and if needed I will contest the case till Supreme Court to get justice for my daughter," Ram told reporters in Panchkula.

The others acquitted were accused of murder, conspiracy and of harbouring and helping Chaudhary when he absconded after the incident.

After the acquittal was pronounced, Chaudhary, who has behind bars since he surrendered Jan 8, 2013, and the others were released from the Ambala jail.

Jyoti was found dead near Sector 21 in Panchkula, 15 km from Chandigarh. Her head was crushed under a truck so that she could not be recognised.

She belonged to a poor, Dalit family in Punjab's Hoshiarpur district, 150 km from Panchkula.

Haryana Police had claimed that Chaudhary had relations with the young woman and used to transfer money into her bank account.

It was alleged that she became pregnant and her abortion was done at Chaudhary's behest.

Police had booked Chaudhary and three others - Paramjeet, Dharampal and Gurmeet Singh - for the murder.

The Himachal Pradesh assembly in Shimla Aug 6 allowed the jailed legislator to remain absent from the ongoing monsoon session.

Speaker B.B.L. Butail had informed the house that he has received Chaudhary's request to allow him to remain absent for the entire session from Aug 6 to 29.

The house, in the absence of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), allowed his request.

Leader of Opposition Prem Kumar Dhumal later told reporters that Chaudhary was granted exemption by violating house rules.

"This item (granting exemption to him) was not listed on the agenda. Even in the all-party meeting, the speaker has not informed the members. This is an impropriety and we oppose it," he said.

Earlier, Chaudhary got exemption to absent himself from the budget session from Feb 3 to 21.

The first-time legislator from Doon in Solan district is the son of four-time Congress legislator Lajja Ram.