Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 9: In a new twist in the much-publicized Chopra family murder case, key witness Harvinder Pal Singh turned hostile and leveled serious allegations of torture against the Special Investigation Team (SIT) thereby giving a dent to the prosecution story.
In the 11 pages statement recorded in the open court of Principal District and Sessions Judge, Jammu, Harvinder Pal Singh said that he had recorded his earlier statement before a Judge under the fear of police, which had threatened him to the extent of elimination.
He also deposed that he was partner of R B Chopra and working as contractor of loading and unloading of cement at Railway Station Jammu. Chopra had shifted to Delhi in the year 1998 and had entrusted the business to him.
At this stage, Special Public Prosecutor requested the Court that the witness was resiling from his earlier statement and he should be declared hostile and permission be granted to cross-examine the witness.
After perusal of the records including the earlier statements of the witness recorded under Section 161 and 164-A CrPC, Principal Sessions Judge Jammu, Jang Bhadur Singh Jamwal permitted the Special PP to cross-examine the witness in view of his not toeing his earlier statements.
In his cross-examination by the Special PP, the witness deposed that on the day of occurrence he was at Srinagar and reached Jammu on the subsequent day. The police asked him to surrender and assured that his son, who was already in their custody, would be released.
On June 20, 2009, the witness went to the police station and narrated every thing to the police according to his knowledge. He also confessed that the judge had given him time to think before the statement but at the doors of Sessions Court his death was waiting for him. The witness created furor in the Court when he deposed that the police used to keep him in the police station from morning to evening and his whole business got spoiled and this process continued for three years.
He further deposed that police was pressurizing him to make a statement according to their choice and copy of the statement had been handed over to him a day before. The witness categorically denied his statement recorded under Section 164-A CrPC. Subsequently the witness denied each and every portion of the statement, which was attributed to him by the Special PP in his cross-examination.
The witness, who was stated to be very close to deceased RB Chopra, deposed that the deceased had cement factories in which the witness had no partnership/ concern. He also denied that the deceased had sent him to Srinagar regarding the works of the Railways. The witness further denied the business transactions of the deceased with Ajab Singh.
He also gave clean chit to Choudhary Nagar Singh and did not support the prosecution version on this account. The witness said that police officers up to the level of DIG were pressing him to support the prosecution case and threatening him to be arrayed as an accused.
The witness deposed that police ensured the closure of his whole business and all of his employees were arrested. Even he was not allowed to go to Srinagar and his business came to stand still. “RB Chopra had no interest in FCI business as he was not eligible for the same. Moreover, Chopra had no rivalry with Nagar Singh and neither there was any business transaction between them”, he said, adding that Choudhary Nagar Singh never indulged in the business of loading and unloading of cement and even after the death of Chopra, Ch Nagar Singh never applied for any tender pertaining to business of cement loading/unloading.
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