CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government has decided to drop a BJP MP's son Vikas Barala, who is accused of stalking and attempted kidnapping, from the post of Assistant Advocate General to which he had just been appointed.
Sources said the decision to drop Barala had been conveyed to him by the state home department. His father Subhash Barala, who is presently a Rajya Sabha MP and was earlier Haryana BJP president, is learnt to have urged the state government to drop him from the list. The order regarding the appointment was issued by the home secretary on July 18 after approval from the then Governor Bandaru Dattatreya.
After Barala was appointed one of the law officers, 45 retired IAS officers expressed their outrage over what they described as a serious lapse of ethics. In a letter to Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, they wrote, "It appears that your government did not take into account the fact that there is a serious criminal case against Barala, or else he would not have been appointed, being ineligible for holding such a sensitive position. This appointment is against the “asmita” of Haryana. By appointing this accused as Asst AG, you have opposed the slogan of Hon PM’s Beti Bachao. We ask you to cancel his appointment immediately, as his continued stay in the position is bound to influence the determination of the case in which he stands accused. We also request you to approach the judiciary to expedite the trial of the case, as already over seven years have elapsed."
BJP leaders too were divided over the inclusion of his name in the list. Some leaders were of the opinion that the government should have awaited the outcome of the ongoing case against him. On the other hand, another group of leaders defended his inclusion on the grounds that the final verdict in the case might take years to come and thus cannot be held against him, said sources.
On August 5, 2017, Vikas and a friend, Ashish Kumar, were booked for allegedly stalking and attempting to kidnap RJ Varnika Kundu, the daughter of a now retired IAS officer of the Haryana cadre VS Kundu. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for August 2 in a court in Chandigarh.
On the night of August 4, 2017, Kundu was going home in Chandigarh when she noticed a car following her. As per the complaint, the occupants of the vehicle, Vikas Barala and his friend Ashish Kumar, allegedly pursued her and attempted to block her path and tried to enter her vehicle.
The Chandigarh Police initially registered a case under Section 354 D (stalking) of the IPC and other relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act. Charges of attempted abduction were also added after widespread criticism of police functioning.
On October 13, 2017, a court in Chandigarh framed charges against both the alleged accused.
Barala was allowed to appear for the degree exam, while he remained in Burail jail of Chandigarh for five months and was pursuing a law degree from Kurukshetra University.
He was recommended for appointment by a screening committee comprising two retired judges of the High Court.
