Court refuses to close ex-royal’s murder trial

A Madhya Pradesh court on Friday refused to accede to the prosecution’s plea for closing the murder trial involving Vikram Singh Puar of the erstwhile Dewas royal family. Vikram, 28, is an accused in a March 2015 murder over a disputed piece of land in Raghogarh. Three witnesses deposed before the court of Additional Sessions Judge Joginder Singh and turned hostile.

“All eyewitnesses have turned hostile and there is no evidence. The prosecution has closed its case,’’ government pleader Girish Mungi told the court. But the court said that it would like to examine the investigating officer and posted the matter for next hearing on February 21.

The judge rejected Vikram’s bail saying the accused was earlier given bail to attend his father and former BJP Minister Tukojirao Puar’s funeral in June 2015 but he escaped. Vikram was crowned as king before disappearing. The court had in December acquitted 12 of the 13 accused in the case. Vikram was seen in a hospital on January 4 and  was put on trial after his arrest.