Haryana BJP chief's son detained for stalking; released on bail

The son of Haryana's ruling BJP chief was on Saturday arrested along with his friend for allegedly stalking a girl here.

Both the accused, Vikas Barala and Ashish Kumar, were released later on bail as they were booked under bailable sections of the IPC and the Motor Vehicles Act.

As the issue triggered a political outcry, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the law will take its own course.

Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala said he respects the law and the "truth" will come out through the court.

The incident came to light when a girl called up the police last night, complaining that two boys were chasing her.
 
"We received a complaint from a girl (who was driving a car) that somebody was chasing her. We flashed the number of vehicle and found two boys sitting in the SUV. Then PCR staff located them and apprehended them," UT Chandigarh Police DSP Satish Kumar told reporters here today.

"After getting complaint from the girl, we booked both Vikas Barala and Ashish Kumar and arrested them immediately," the DSP said.

He said the accused had allegedly chased the girl from for some distance. "They even tried to stop the (girl's) vehicle twice or thrice. They also banged the girl's vehicle with hands," the DSP said while quoting the complaint of girl.

"We got the medical (examination) conducted of both the boys and found the presence of alcohol in them," said DSP.

Police then impounded the vehicle of boys.

Both Vikas, who is a student of LLB, and his friend Ashish were booked under section 354 D (stalking) of IPC and 185 of the Motor Vehicle Act (driving by a drunken person or by a person under the influence of drugs), the police said.

After the girl recorded her statement before the area magistrate here under section 164 of the CrPC, police added another section 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint) in the FIR.

"After going through the girl's statement, we have added section 341 and legal opinion will be taken to see if more sections can be added," said DSP.

When asked why sections 365 (kidnapping) and 511 of the IPC were not added in the FIR, the police official said these sections were not applied as there was no mention in the girl's statement given under section 164 of CrPC that there was an attempt to abduct her.

"Earlier, we saw the possibility of adding sections 365 and 511 in the FIR. But when we received the original copy of the girl's statement, we found that there was no mention that any attempt was made to abduct her. The girl did not mention about her abduction. Therefore, we did not find possibility of adding these sections," he said.

"But we will take legal opinion in this regard. We will send the statement of girl for legal opinion and if any other section can be added, we will add it," he added.

When asked whether the police faced any political pressure to save the son of Haryana's ruling party leader, the DSP said there was no political pressure on the police.

"There is no political pressure. There was no phone call (of politicians). Whatever action has been taken in this case was on the basis of girl's statement," insisted the DSP.

He further said that there was a difference between the girl's statement on her Facebook account and the statement given under section 164 of the CrPC.

Commenting on the matter, the chief minister said, "I have come to know that Chandigarh police had registered a case and I think that Chandigarh police will investigate the matter properly. I believe in the law."

On opposition INLD's demand for ouster of the Haryana BJP chief, Khattar said, "This issue is not of Subhash Barala. It is an individual issue and law will take its own course."

Meanwhile, Vikas Barala's father, in a statement here, said he had full faith in the law of the land.

"We respect the law and law has taken its course. Truth will soon come out through the court. I have full faith in the law," said Barala.

INLD leader Abhay Chautala earlier tweeted, "Whose son was found caught while kidnapping a girl? They talk about saving girls (Beti Bachao). If it (party) has a little bit of self respect, it should remove such a president."

Haryana Congress chief Ashok Tanwar condemned the incident and demanded public apology from Barala on the issue.

"The arrogance of power in the BJP, the party which talks about saving girl child, has reached such a level that the son of sitting MLA dared to commit such crime," he said.

He said the Congress workers will protest across the state tomorrow against the act of state BJP chief's son.