M A I N   N E W S

Who killed Jyoti? Father turns hostile in case against MLA
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, December 23
Buti Ram, complainant and key witness in the Jyoti murder case and father of the victim Jyoti, gave up his battle against Doon MLA Ram Kumar Chaudhary by turning hostile in the district and sessions court here today.

In his statement in court, he said that he didn’t know who Chaudhary was.

His other daughter Ishu, who is an important witness in the case, failed to depose before the court today. Buti Ram verbally informed the court that Ishu couldn’t come as his wife was unwell.

The Doon MLA and four others have been accused of killing Jyoti. She was found murdered on a road in Sector 21, Panchkula.

According to the charge-sheet filed by the Panchkula police, Jyoti -- who wanted him to continue his relations with her -- was allegedly eliminated by the MLA’s aides as she was coming in the way of Chaudhary’s political career. First, Jyoti was allegedly strangulated and then, a truck was run over her body to depict it as an accident case.

Deposing before the court, Buti Ram said that he never gave any supplementary statements to the police wherein it was mentioned that Jyoti had told him and his daughter Ishu about her relations with Chaudhary and her desire to marry him. He denied having said that Chaudhary killed Jyoti as she was coming in his way.

About the photographs showing Chaudhary at the wedding of Jyoti’s sister, he expressed inability to recognise the person indicated.

“We cross examined Jyoti’s father. He denied all the statements given to the police in the supplementary statements. He said that his daughter had neither informed him of being in touch with Chaudhary nor was she working with him,” said defence counsel AS Sukhija.

About Chaudhary’s presence in the photos of his daughter’s wedding, Buti Ram said that he had never met Chaudhary. He said that as he was busy at the event, he and the MLA had not been introduced by his daughter.

He not only refused to identify Chaudhary in the photograph but also said that it wasn’t clicked in his presence, added Sukhija.

Buti Ram’s statements today are a setback to the prosecution. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) had been constituted after Buti Ram had moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court saying that the investigation by a single investigating officer was not fair. He had, on several occasions, asked for security alleging threats from the MLA’s side.

After stepping out of the court, Buti Ram started crying. When asked as to why he had turned hostile, he left the court premises weeping.

Buti Ram’s statement

“I was informed by the village Sarpanch about my daughter’s body. At the police station in Sector 5, I identified her by her clothes. I just know that she was murdered, but I never gave any statements to the police about Chaudhary’s involvement as I don’t know who he is. I never suspected his involvement. I did not say the things that have been mentioned by the police in the supplementary statement. I did not give that supplementary statement.”