MP Subhash Barala’s son Vikas yet to join AG office

Nearly a week after he was engaged as Assistant Advocate-General (AAG), Rajya Sabha MP Subhash Barala’s son Vikas Barala is reportedly yet to join Haryana Advocate-General’s Delhi office. There is, however, no official word on whether he has assumed charge.

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According to a law officer familiar with the development, he had not reported for the assignment till late this week. “While his name appeared in the July 18 list, no communication on his joining has been forthcoming. Indications are that he is yet to begin work in the assigned role,” said a law officer.

Neither Barala, nor Haryana Advocate-General Pravindra Singh Chauhan, were available for confirmation. Telephonic queries made to seek their response remained unanswered. Barala’s name was included in the July 18 list of advocates engaged as law officers, nearly eight years after he was named in a stalking case.

In all, the engagement of more than 95 law officers as Assistant Advocates-Generals, Deputy Advocates-General, Senior Deputy Advocates-General and Additional Advocates-General were notified.

The case revolves around the alleged stalking of the daughter of a senior Haryana bureaucrat (now retired). Vikas and his friend Ashish Kumar were booked on August 5, 2017, on the complaint filed by Varnika Kundu. The trial in the case is pending before a Chandigarh court.

Vikas, now on bail, was allowed to appear in criminology paper under the police custody while he was confined in Chandigarh’s Burail jail in the case and was pursuing his law degree from Kurukshetra University.

Sources say Vikas was recommended for appointment by a screening committee comprising two retired judges of the high court.

The order regarding the appointment was issued by the Home Secretary on July 18. He, along with five other law officers, were appointed by the Haryana Government for the state’s legal cell in Delhi.

An advertisement for the appointments/engagements was issued in January. Haryana Law Officers (Engagement) Act, 2016, makes it clear initial scrutiny recommendations are made to government by a selection committee after taking into consideration various professional parameters, including the number of cases handled.

An applicant is required to specify whether an FIR has been registered and whether he has been convicted in any case. But the 2016 law bars only appointment/ engagement of a person, who has been convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude.