Varnika Kundu stalking accused, out on bail, appointed Haryana's Assistant Advocate General

Vikas Barala being taken for medical examination after his arrest in Chandigarh in August 2017

Vikas Barala, the son of former Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala, has been appointed as a law officer by the Haryana government with advocate general (AG) office, even as he continues to face trial in the high-profile 2017 Varnika Kundu stalking case, Hindustan Times reported.

His name is part of a list of over 100 new appointments notified by the state government on July 18, where he has been given the role of Assistant Advocate General at the Advocate General’s Delhi office.

The case that grabbed national headlines

The appointment has sparked attention because Barala is still undergoing trial in a case that had once grabbed national headlines.

The incident took place on the night of August 4, 2017, in Chandigarh, when Varnika Kundu, a disc jockey and daughter of former IAS officer V S Kundu, was allegedly followed by a car while she was driving home. She later filed a police complaint stating that Vikas Barala and his friend Ashish Kumar chased her car, tried to block her way, and even attempted to open her vehicle’s door.

Initially, the two were booked under Section 354D (stalking) of the Indian Penal Code along with provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act. However, after public outrage, charges of attempted abduction were also added. The case went to trial, and charges were officially framed against both men by a Chandigarh court on October 13, 2017.

Vikas Barala spent around five months in jail but continued to pursue his law education during that time. The case is still being heard in a lower court in Chandigarh, where the prosecution has finished presenting its evidence and the defence is now presenting its witnesses.

Questions over delayed justice

Varnika Kundu said she won't comment on Barala’s appointment, calling it the government's decision, HT reported. However, she did express disappointment in the judicial process, saying, “I still have faith in judiciary but it’s kind of wavering now due to repeated adjournments as the trial is being dragged and delayed. It’s been 8 years and a long wait for justice. As far as appointment of Vikas Barala is concerned, I would not like to comment on that at this stage.”

The state government had invited applications for these law officer positions in January, and the selection was made under the Haryana Law Officers (Engagement) Act, 2016. As per the Act, only those convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude are barred from being appointed. Applicants must also declare whether any FIR has been filed against them and whether they have any convictions.

Other notable appointments include Anu Pal, the sister of Chandigarh’s UT Home Secretary Mandeep Singh Brar, and Swati Batra, daughter of retired HC judge Lalita Batra. Several appointees also have political or bureaucratic family backgrounds.