CBI: Ranjeet & Chhatrapati murder accused using delaying tactics

Replying to the application,the CBI submitted,“The honourable court neither adopted any such practice nor any verbal orders,as alleged by the applicant,directing the prosecution to disclose the names of prosecution witnesses to be examined by the CBI,in advance to defence counsel. The applicant has taken false pleas mischievously,cunningly,illegally and deliberately and such contentions of the accused about the alleged practice or alleged verbal orders,which the court never passed at any point of time amounts to contempt of court.”

It added,“The prosecution agency is very fairly and legally assisting this honourable court in conducting smooth trial by producing witnesses as per the list of witnesses provided to each of the accused person with the chargesheet. There is no intention of the prosecution to gain any undue advantage as alleged by the accused. Rather the accused are trying to take undue advantage by moving such frivolous applications and are delaying the trial of the present case.”

CBI alleged,“There are many occasions when the prosecution witnesses were present but the accused or their counsel,one way or other managed to get the case adjourned.”

“On the one hand,the accused persons are repeatedly taking the plea of them being in custody for a long time and on the other hand,they are adopting delaying tactics by not cross examining the witnesses,” alleged the CBI.

DSP Vijay Singh came to depose on July 16 as a prosecution witness,but Krishan Lal moved an application for directions to prosecution for disclosing the name of witnesses in advance. The court adjourned the case for July 23 for CBI reply.

The CBI further alleged,“The witness (DSP Vijay Singh) had come from a far-off place to depose in this case but on account of malpractice by the accused,his statement could not be recorded.”

It submitted that smooth functioning of the trial could be affected if names of witnesses were disclosed. “Since the accused in this case are influential persons and in case name of the witnesses are disclosed to them in advance,though not permissible under any law,then it is most likely the accused shall approach and influence or pressurise the witnesses…,”claimed the CBI.

Ram Chander Chhattrapati,local journalist from Sirsa,was allegedly killed on the orders of Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim on October 23,2002 for publishing news about illegal activities inside Dera Sacha Sauda. Along with Ram Rahim and Krishan Lal,the other accused in this case are Nirmal Singh and Kuldeep.

In the murder of Dera member Ranjit Singh on July 10,2002,along with Ram Rahim and Krishan Lal,Jasbir,Indersen,Avtaar and Sabdil are also accused. It is alleged that Ram Rahim suspected him to be behind an anonymous letter of a sadhvi levelling allegations of sexual exploitation against him.