Delhi court pulls up accused in murder case for delaying trial

A Delhi court had earlier dismissed the lawyer’s application seeking a transfer of the case over allegations that the trial court judge conducted proceedings post 5 pm which was “inhuman” and that evidence was recorded in English.

The murder case was registered on the statement of Suresh Kumar, brother of victim Daulat Ram, whose body was found in a burnt condition inside a vehicle in Ghaziabad in 1999.

Last week, a Delhi court junked an 85-year-old lawyer’s allegation that a trial court judge was biased against his client, who is facing murder charges, and ordered the trial to proceed. Following this, Special Judge Pulastya Pramachala was supposed to hear the case – the oldest in his court – in which a former Geeta Colony councilor is accused, on Monday. Instead, the judge found that another adjournment application was filed by the accused.

This time, lawyer SPS Chaudhary said he “fell down and received an injury on his forehead and other parts of the body. He was treated in Metro Hospital, but his stitches have not been removed yet”. When his client Harmesh Kumar was asked a few questions, he told the court that “he does not know what is written in this application and it was not explained in Hindi to him by his counsel”.

The judge pulled them up and said, “The court cannot be brow beaten by such tactics adopted by any accused.” The accused was “adamant to only delay the present proceedings on the pretext of old age of his counsel,” the court said.

It further said, “An accused has a right to engage a counsel of his choice but while exercising such right, the accused has to take a conscious decision, which is best for his defence. This right cannot be exercised in a way to only seek adjournment before the court in the proceedings of the case.”

The court added, “It is his conscious decision to seek adjournment only in this case and not to make alternative arrangement so as to defend him in this proceedings.”

The lawyer had stated in his application that “he is not in a position to attend the proceedings by video conferencing because he does not have facilities at his residence for video conferencing”. He also said he is hard of hearing and “it is not desirable and proper to record the evidence with the help of video conferencing”.

A Delhi court had earlier dismissed the lawyer’s application seeking a transfer of the case over allegations that the trial court judge conducted proceedings post 5 pm which was “inhuman” and that evidence was recorded in English.

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The murder case was registered on the statement of Suresh Kumar, brother of victim Daulat Ram, whose body was found in a burnt condition inside a vehicle in Ghaziabad in 1999.

The court has already convicted one person, Mohinder Pal, who had business dealings with the victim. The second accused, Bansi Lal, is Pal’s elder brother and was the municipal councillor of Geeta Colony at the time. Two others, Harish and Harmesh, are also facing trial in this case.

Anand Mohan J

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More