CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana High Court did not make public the much awaited report of the identification parade of the accused in the alleged abduction and molestation case of a French tourist. Katia Darand, when the matter came up for hearing here Sept.19.
‘The report of the identification: parade is likely to be made public on Sept.29 when the case would again come up for hearing.
However, a section of the Press has already reported that Katia had identified the three accused, including chief minister Beant Singh’s grandson, Gurkirat Singh.
All the accused are in police custody and indications are that the police have already completed the investigations. The first identification parade was carried out on the directions of the high court in response to a writ petition filed by Mr, Mann seeking transfer of the case to the CBI to ensure a fair trial, Counsel for Mann, Ranjan Lakhanpal, had argued that police could not be the investigating and the prosecuting: agency as two policemen were accused along with the grandson: of the chief minister. ‘The high court also directed the Slate government to place before it the report of the second identification parade conducted at the central jail, Patiala. Where the accused were paraded before the local hosts of Katia, Phillip James and his wife, the second identification parade was ordered by district magistrate at the request of the investigating agency, the police.
‘The reports of both the identification parade would be opened in the court when the case will come: up for hearing on Sept.29.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 23, 1994
