Ex-councillor to face murder trial
Paving the way to initiate criminal trial against former MCD councillor Ashok Jain and his nine associates, Tis Hazari Court additional sessions judge (ASJ) has charged them with criminal conspiracy and murder for allegedly eliminating a property dealer three years ago as he felt the victim spoiled his political career by lodging a corruption complaint against him with the CBI.
The ASJ has ordered that Jain and his nine associates be put to trial for the murder of property dealer Vijay Singh on September 29, 2007 in north Delhi.
Jain’s lawyer contended that his client had been falsely implicated and the prosecuting agency has failed to come up with any evidence to suggest meeting of minds among the accused. Opposing the plea, public prosecutor Rajiv Mohan argued that there cannot be any direct evidence for conspiracy as it can be gathered only by way of circumstantial evidence.
Ordering framing of charges against the accused, the court said, “It is a well-settled principle of law that at the time of framing of charge, the court is required to see only a prima facie case. The court is not required to look into the probative value of the evidence at the time of framing of the charge.”
According to the police, Jain, former deputy chairman of MCD’s standing committee, believed that Abhay Singh (complainant) and Vijay Singh (victim) were behind the anti-corruption case filed against him by the CBI.
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