Kachru ragging case: Prosecution wants to examine father

DHARAMSALA - The prosecution in the Aman Kachru ragging-to-death case Thursday demanded that the statement of the victim’s father Rajendra Kachru should also be recorded.

Moving an application in the fast track court in this Himachal Pradesh town, the government, pleading the case of the ragging victim, demanded that the statement of Rajendra Kachru should be recorded.

It also demanded that statements of a team of doctors who conducted the post-mortem examination of the body and an ENT specialist who examined Aman after the ragging incident should be re-examined.

District Deputy Attorney R.K. Kaushal told reporters that fast track court Judge Purinder Vaidya has directed counsel for the accused to file their reply regarding examination of Aman’s father and re-examination of the doctors by Friday.

He said the statement of all the remaining witnesses were recorded by the fast track court Thursday.

“The statement of 37 witnesses, comprising doctors (of Rajendra Prasad Medical College in Tanda) and police personnel, have been recorded till date. Now, recording of evidence of witnesses is over,” he added.

Aman Kachru, 19, died March 8, 2009, a few hours after being allegedly ragged by the four final year students of the Rajendra Prasad Medical College in Tanda town near here.

The fast track court Aug 2 resumed the trial against four medical students - Ajay Verma, Naveen Verma, Abhinav Verma and Mukul Sharma - after they surrendered on cancellation of their bail by the Himachal Pradesh High Court.

The high court, which had initiated suo motu proceedings after bail was granted to them July 17, said: “The order passed by the trial court granting bail to the accused is against law… accordingly quashed and set aside.”

“The trial court would ensure that the trial is conducted from day to day. The court would ensure that no undue and unnecessary adjournments be granted to either side,” Justice D.D. Sud observed in a 37-page order.