Abduction case: Doc 'avoids' deposition

TNN / Apr 26, 2007, 03:08 IST

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The important witnesses, who could not be examined despite reminders, include Dr Ramesh Chandra's son Rakesh Chandra.

PATNA: The trial of Dr Ramesh Chandra abduction case continued on Wednesday in the court of additional district and sessions judge-4, Patna, Satya Prakash Narayan Singh, though with a difference. Strangely, Dr Ramesh himself failed to appear before the court to depose in the case despite several reminders.The prosecution, which normally examines the investigating officer (IO) of the abduction case after having examined all the prosecution witness, on Wednesday examined the IO of the Ramesh Chandra abduction case, Neelam Kumari, as the prosecution witness number 11 (PW-11).
The important witnesses, who could not be examined despite reminders, include Dr Ramesh Chandra's son Rakesh Chandra.
District public prosecutor Jaiprakash Singh examined Neelam Kumari and asked different questions to her relating to the police investigation into the case. Being the IO of the case, Neelam Kumari gave details of the police raid at the deserted house of Bhola Singh in Chirora village under the Naubatpur police station from where Ramesh Chandra was recovered. The police had apprehended three criminals, who had held Dr Chandra captive, namely Munna Singh, Chittaranjan Kumar alias Babloo and Santosh Kumar Tiwari, she said. She added in her deposition that the police had taken the lead to recover Dr Chandra on the basis of the statement of two criminals, Ranvijay alias Babloo and Sanjay, who were arrested from Nandlal Chapra village located in the south of the New Bypass road in Patna. The raiding police party was led by the city SP, she added.
Important prosecution witnesses to have been examined earlier include noted urologist Dr Ajay Kumar. Dr Chandra had attended a party in the house of Dr Ajay Kumar in the night of May 17, 2003. Dr Chandra was abducted after he left Dr Kumar's house in his car alone. On the following morning, his car was found abandoned on the New Bypass road within the jurisdiction of the Jakkanpur police station.

A gynaecologist, Dr Nirmala Saxena, who had registered an FIR with the S K Puri police station regarding the abduction, was also examined earlier as a prosecution witness. Dr Chandra's wife Rekha Chandra is one of the other important prosecution witnesses to have been examined earlier. On Wednesday, the anxiety of the prosecution ran high as Dr Chandra stayed away from deposing in the court as a prosecution witness. The district public prosecutor, Jaiprakash Singh, told TOI that deposition of Dr Chandra is vital. Dr Chandra had been provided three police constables as security and he should have appeared before the trial court for his deposition, he added.
Singh said that the cooperation of the witnesses, particularly that of the victim, was crucial for conviction of the abductors. Despite day-to-day trial of the case, it was unlikely to be concluded without Dr Chandra's own deposition, he added, stating that the prosecution will file a petition before the court for necessary orders to ensure Dr Chandra's presence before the trial court for his deposition.

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