Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 28: Principal Sessions Judge Jammu Kartar Singh today rejected the bail applications of former MLC Trilochan Singh Wazir, his brother Ajab Singh Wazir and Choudhary Nagar Singh, who were facing trial in gruesome murder of Chopra family.
After hearing battery of lawyers for the applicants, Principal Sessions Judge observed, “there are 85 witnesses in this case out of which only 22 witnesses have yet been examined. The entire case is based on circumstantial evidence and the prosecution has to prove the link after link in order to connect the petitioners and other accused with the commission of alleged offence. It cannot be said at this stage as to what type of evidence is yet to be led by the prosecution to complete the chain of circumstances”.
“Special Public Prosecutor Advocate L K Sharma has submitted that the prior conduct of the petitioners is also to be taken into consideration while enlarging them on bail. The petitioners are facing trial in this court and the court cannot ignore to take judicial notice of the fact that there were number of cases between the prosecution witnesses and the petitioners pending disposal before another court in which clashes took place between some of the petitioners and prosecution witnesses regarding which FIRs have also been registered”, Principal Sessions Judge said.
“This leads the court to presume at this stage that the petitioners as well as prosecution witnesses apprehend threats to their lives from each other because of gang war. In such a situation it will be for the safety of the petitioners as well as prosecution witnesses that they should not be released on bail and in case they are released, they may temper with the prosecution witnesses who would not come to the court to depose against them”, the court said.
With these observations, court rejected the bail applications.
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