Accused’s plea for copy of CD of identification parade allowed

LUDHIANA: The Court of Additional Sessions Judge Rashmi Sharma today allowed a plea of the accused to provide them a copy of CD, pen drive containing videography done at the time of identification parade conducted in the Central Jail.

Rajneesh Lakhanpal

Legal Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 15

The Court of Additional Sessions Judge Rashmi Sharma today allowed a plea of the accused to provide them a copy of CD, pen drive containing videography done at the time of identification parade conducted in the Central Jail.

The test identification parade was conducted in the presence of Judicial Magistrate Ankit Airi.

The prosecutrix did not turn up for recording evidence. She may come on the next date, indicates the prosecution. The prosecution has already examined seven witnesses in the case.

Special Public Prosecutor BD Gupta apprised that the prosecution had already examined seven witnesses in the case. Two witnesses. Dr Seema Chopra and Dr Ramandeep Kaur, from the local Civil Hospital, were examined through video-conferencing on last date. One doctor had taken DNA samples and another conducted pregnancy test on the victim.

The accused include Sadiq Ali of Mukandpur, Nawanshahr; Jagroop Singh, alias Rupi, of Jaspal Bangar village; Surmo of Khanpur village, Dehlon; Saif Ali of Dehlon and Ajay, alias Lalan, of Jassad Paddi village in Ludhiana; and a juvenile aged about 16 and a half years.

The police had filed a charge sheet containing more than 700 pages based upon the scientific investigation supported by 54 witnesses against the accused.

The girl was allegedly gang-raped on February 9 near Issewal village on the banks of Sidhwan Canal, about 15 km from Ludhiana, after the car she was travelling in with her friend was stopped and she was dragged out.

An identification parade of the accused was conducted in the local Central Jail under the supervision of a Judicial officer on February 22, during which the victim identified all accused.

The incident had rocked the Punjab Assembly with Opposition Aam Aadmi Party and Lok Insaaf Party lashing out at the government. The Chief Minister had to make a statement in the Assembly.

The case would come up for recording evidence of other prosecution witnesses on July 22.