Haryana: On bail in sexual harassment case, BJP MP’s son appointed law officer

The trial in the sexual harassment case is still being heard in a Chandigarh court, and Vikas is currently on bail.

Vikas and his friend Ashish Kumar were booked on August 5, 2017, under IPC sections 354D (stalking), 341 (wrongful restraint), 365 (attempt to abduct) and 511, apart from charges of drunk driving. The complaint was filed by Varnika Kundu, daughter of Haryana-cadre IAS officer V S Kundu, who alleged that the duo chased and tried to forcibly enter her vehicle late at night in Chandigarh.

Subhash Barala was Haryana’s BJP chief at the time when the state was under his party’s rule.

Based on Varnika’s complaint, an FIR was registered at the Sector 26 police station, and Vikas and Ashish were arrested on August 9, 2017, after an uproar. Charges were framed against the accused in October that year.

Vikas, meanwhile, was lodged in Chandigarh’s Model Jail at Burail until bail was granted by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in January 2018. The next date of hearing in the trial is listed on August 2, 2025, for recording of defence evidence.

Vikas was a law student at the time of the incident and, in December 2017, was allowed by the High Court to appear for the degree exam from Kurukshetra University.

Subhash Barala served as Haryana BJP chief from December 2014 to July 2020. He lost the October 2019 Assembly polls from Tohana in Fatehabad district and was appointed as chairman of the Haryana Bureau of Public Enterprises. In February, 2024, he was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Haryana.

When contacted, Varnika’s father V S Kundu told The Indian Express: “This isn’t something that I or my daughter need to comment upon. It is for the government to see what kind of people they appoint or not appoint. The case is still on, which is unfortunate. We started with a lot of faith in the judiciary but unfortunately it has been seven years and the defence witness is yet to commence.”

Kundu retired in December 2022 and was appointed as head of the state’s revenue commission chairman. On Tuesday, he attended a meeting chaired by Haryana minister Vipul Goel on digitisation of land records and training of officials.

Haryana’s Advocate General Parvindra Singh Chauhan did not respond to requests from The Indian Express for comment on Vikas’s appointment to his office.

When contacted, Subhash Barala office said that he would revert with a comment but he did not do so. Vikas Barala was not available for comment.

Congress leader and former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda questioned the government decision. “Only competent people should be appointed in the Advocate General’s office,” Hooda told The Indian Express.