Haryana: Vikas Barala dropped from law officer post after not joining
CHANDIGARH: In a significant turnaround by the Nayab Singh Saini-led BJP govt, the office of the Advocate General has dropped the name of
Vikas Barala
as a law officer as he did not report for joining, an official spokesperson of the state govt confirmed on Monday.
The official categorically confirmed that except for
Vikas
Barala, the rest of the law officers appointed had joined and assumed charge. Consequent to the joining report compiled by the concerned authorities, Vikas Barala's name was dropped, the official remarked.
Notably, the development came within a week after the
Haryana
govt notified the list of appointments of law officers in the office of the Advocate General Haryana to defend the state in the Punjab and Haryana High Court as well as the Supreme Court of India.
On July 18, the Haryana govt notified the appointment of 92 law officers, including Vikas Barala, to the office of the Advocate General Haryana.
Barala, who happens to be the son of Rajya Sabha MP Subash Barala, is facing trial as an accused in the stalking and attempted abduction of the daughter of a senior Haryana bureaucrat (now retired). His name figured as Assistant Advocate General (AAG) for defending cases of Haryana in New Delhi, including the Supreme Court of India.
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This triggered controversy and put a question mark on the criteria adopted and the rules followed for the selection of names by the screening committee, which was constituted by the AG office. Opposition parties and leaders criticised the Saini-led govt on this appointment.
As to why Vikas chose not to join remains a mystery. However, sources indicate that it was a decision of the party high command as well as the govt after he did not report for joining.
The screening committee, which comprised two retired judges of the high court, ignored the serious charges against him. The members of the Advocate General Haryana-headed screening committee that recommended Vikas's appointment were Mani Ram Sharma (IAS), special secretary, home department as the nominee of the additional chief secretary (home), Ritu Garg, legal remembrancer, and two retired judges, Justice Darshan Singh and Justice H S Bhalla, who were members (eminent legal professionals).
Normally, those having affiliation with the ruling party are appointed as law officers, and their tenure is co-terminus with the party in power.
On August 5, 2017, Vikas Barala and his friend Ashish allegedly followed the bureaucrat's daughter and tried to stop the car of a senior Haryana bureaucrat. The girl called the Chandigarh police, who apprehended the boys. At the time of the incident, they were under the influence of liquor.
Both were booked under section 354 D (stalking) of the IPC and under the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act. Later, police added two more sections for attempted kidnapping, and they were arrested.
Vikas's father, Subhash Barala, was then serving as the state president of Haryana BJP. The trial of the case is currently pending before the district court in Chandigarh and is slated for hearing on August 2. The trial is at the stage of recording prosecution evidence.
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