New Delhi, January 31: Former Punjab and Haryana High Court Judge Rajiv Bhalla today appeared in a Delhi court as a prosecution witness in a 24-year-old kidnapping case registered against former Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini.
Justice Bhalla, who retired from the High Court in March 2016, appeared before Special CBI Judge Anju Bajaj Chandana. This was his third appearance in the court in connection with the case.On the previous hearing, Justice Bhalla, who is currently the Chairman of the Punjab Education Tribunal, was examined by CBI special prosecutor YK Saxena as regards recording of evidence.
Justice Bhalla was counsel for Vinod Kumar, one of the three missing persons feared murdered, before his elevation as a HC Judge. During the proceedings today, the defence counsel subjected the former judge to questions as regards nature of his relationship with Vinod and administrative functioning of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
The CBI Judge interjected several times objecting to the line of defence counsel’s questioning of Justice Bhalla and asked him to be on point, and not waste court’s time. The prosecutor also objected to the nature of questions asked to Justice Bhalla.
The court stressed the cross-examination of Justice Bhalla must be completed by tomorrow. Saini, who is on bail these days, is accused of allegedly kidnapping and eliminating three persons in 1994. The CBI probed the matter and filed a chargessheet. Subsequently, the court framed charges.
Delhi businessman Ashish Kumar had earlier claimed in the HC that Saini was out to eliminate him. He had alleged that his brother Vinod, brother-in-law Ashok Kumar and driver Mukhtiar Singh were kidnapped and later eliminated.
The CBI probe found Saini and three police officials responsible for their disappearances. Ashish had alleged Vinod was picked up from the HC premises on March 15, 1994. He had filed a complaint against the Ludhiana police. Saini was the then district ( Ludhiana) police chief.
Source Tribune India
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