Narco test on lawyer husband not done as P’kula cops goof up

PANCHKULA: The local police on Thursday failed to get brain mapping and lie detector test conducted on Manmohan Kumar, a local advocate accused of killing his wife Rajni Bala three months ago, as they had not informed his counsel in advance.

Rajinder Nagarkoti

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, April 19

The local police on Thursday failed to get brain mapping and lie detector test conducted on Manmohan Kumar, a local advocate accused of killing his wife Rajni Bala three months ago, as they had not informed his counsel in advance.

The police had taken the murder accused lawyer to the Madhuban Lab in Karnal for the tests, which could not be conducted for want of the presence of his lawyer, as directed by the court.

Manmohan’s counsel Dinesh Jangra said the court, while allowing the plea for conducting brain mapping and lie detector test on the accused, had directed the police to ensure presence of the accused’s counsel while conducting the tests. Jangra said he got a call at around 11 am from the SHO, Sector 20 police station, to come to Karnal for the test whereas they should have intimated him in advance.

Since Manmohan was not ready for tests in the absence of his counsels, the test was not conducted, he said.

Sources said Manmohan had told Madhuban Lab officials to check the court order and ensure presence of either of his two counsels — Sameer Sethi or Dinesh Jangra.

SHO Vikas said Manmohan had requested for his counsel only on reaching Karnal. The test could not be done on Thursday in the absence of Manmohan’s advocate. The police would now take a fresh date for the tests, he said.

On February 8, the Panchkula police had moved an application for brain mapping and lie detector test on Manmohan Kumar. Later, he agreed for the tests. On February 14, the court had allowed the police plea for conducting the tests on the accused.

Earlier, having failed to trace Rajni’s body, the police had informed the court that they need to get brain mapping and lie detector test done on Manmohan as he was not revealing anything about the body. He was misguiding them by claiming that the body had been dumped in Morni or Himachal Pradesh, the police had informed the court.

The Panchkula police had arrested Manmohan Kumar, his woman friend Monica and her brother-in-law Sandeep in the Rajni murder case. But to date, they have failed to trace the body though a car and the rope used in the crime have already been recovered. Besides, Rajni’s sari and jewellery have also been found.

Notably, Rajni had gone missing on January 16 and the police claimed that her husband, Monica and Sandeep conspired to kill her. Manmohan Kumar had lodged a missing complaint of his wife.

Rajni Murder case: Timeline

January 16 Rajni Bala goes missing

January 16 Rajni’s lawyer husband Manmohan Kumar lodges a missing complaint

January 20 The police find Rajni’s footwear at dumping ground in Sector 25. Carry out digging exercise but end up finding a dog carcass

January 25 Monica and Sandeep arrested for Rajni’s murder

January 27 The victim’s husband Manmohan Kumar arrested

February 8 The police move application for conducting brain mapping and lie detector test on Manmohan Kumar

February 14 Court allows police plea for brain mapping and lie detector test