Jessica case: Declare accused proclaimed offender

New Delhi, May 15: The Delhi High Court today directed the police to file an application declaring Vikas Gill, one of the accused in the Jessica Lall murder, as a ''proclaimed offender''.

A division bench headed by Justice Manmohan Sarin gave the order following submissions by Delhi police counsel Mukta Gupta that the non-bailable arrest warrant (NBW) could not be served on the accused since he had left the country during the pendency of the trial.

Ms Gupta submitted the accused had been released on bail on an undertaking in 1999 that he would not leave the country without prior permission of the court.

However, Gill fled for US in October 2004 and has since remained untraceable, she submitted.

Ms Gupta complained that Gill through his counsel was always filing applications for his exemption from appearance citing spinal injury.

Justice Sarin observed ''the accused took you for a ride'' and added the state had squarely failed in ensuring that the accused fulfilled the bail conditions before leaving the country.

''Whose responsibility is it to ensure the administration of justice? What mechanisms do you have to pre-empt such flagrant violations as range from irregularities, lack of verification of medical reasons for exemption from personal appearances, violation of conditions imposed during grant of bail,'' the bench asked? However, the counsel informed the court that the translation works of the trial proceedings from Hindi to English had been completed. The bench directed the court's registrar to ensure that adequate photocopies of the translated material be made available to various parties for perusal before May 24.

Declining the defence counsel exemption from personal appearance of the accused, the court posted further hearing for May 31.

Meanwhile, the High Court has dismissed an application by Malini Ramani, one of the key witnesses in the Jessica Lall murder case, seeking permission to travel London.

UNI