Defence claims discrepancy in CBI’s sketch of prime accused

The woman witness further claimed in her examination-in-chief that the girl was 25/26 years of age. “When she was entering the car from the driver’s side, I could see her jaw line… I only saw her getting into the car and driving it away,” she had said.

The defence counsel said that the sketch of the accused was prepared by the CBI on disclosure of this witness, which later identified Kalyani as the accused.

During her cross-examination, when questioned by defence counsel, on how she could describe the eyes and nose of the accused, she replied that the eyes and nose were “normal Indian eyes and nose.” She further volunteered that she “distinctly remembers her jaw lines, complexion and height.”

Narula pointed out to the accused that there are more than 100 crores Indians, so does the witness think every woman has similar nose and eyes. The witness responded: “they are different”. She added that she had described her (accused’s) nose and eyes as normal at that time.

She was further questioned whether all the features of Kalyani are “normal Indian features”, to which she responded yes.

Speaking to media on Friday, defence counsel Narula claimed that there is discrepancy in the sketch prepared on the submission of the woman witness of CBI.

“How can a sketch be made through a witness, who says that the girl had normal Indian features,” Narula questioned.

However, when contacted Jasmanpreet Singh, alias Jippy Sidhu, brother of Sippy Sidhu and a complainant in the case, about the defence counsel alleging discrepancies in the sketch, he claimed that the woman witness, on the night of incident had seen Kalyani and later identified her in the custody of the CBI and at the CBI court during the examination-in-chief among other woman standing in the courtroom.

“The chargesheet clarifies that she found her (Kalyani) at the spot. Also, there is not only this woman (witness) on whose disclosure the sketch was prepared. The CBI also got the sketch prepared from a street vendor who had seen Kalyani on September 18,” added Sidhu’s brother.

The special CBI Court of Chandigarh on May 4, 2024, had framed charges against accused Kalyani.  Sidhu’s bullet-riddled body was found in a park at Sector 27, Chandigarh, on September 20, 2015.  He was the grandson of the late Justice S S Sidhu, a former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge, while accused Kalyani is the daughter of retired high court judge Sabina. Sidhu’s family had accused Kalyani of murdering him.

The murder case was initially investigated by the Chandigarh Police after an FIR was registered against unknown persons at Sector 26 police station, Chandigarh. The matter was later transferred to the CBI in April 2016. On June 15, 2022, the CBI had arrested Kalyani and she was granted bail by the high court in September 2022.