Junaid Khan lynching case: Judge says Haryana AAG helping accused

Chandigarh: In a shocking turn of events in the Junaid Khan lynching case, the judge of the trial court hearing the case has sought action against Additional Advocate General Naveen Kaushik for allegedly helping persons charged with killing the 15-year-old.

In an interim order on October 25, Additional District and Sessions Judge, Faridabad, Y S Rathore accused Kaushik of assisting the defense counsel representing Naresh Kumar, one among those accused in the violence which eventually resulted in the death of 16-year-old Junaid Khan last June.

“This act of Mr Naveen Kaushik, Additional Advocate General Haryana amounts to professional misconduct and is against legal ethics and highly unbecoming of an Advocate, particularly because he is a Law Officer in the office of Advocate General, Haryana,” Judge Rathore said on October 25.

The judge noted that the case is a sensitive one with communal overtones. As such, if the AAG appears along with the defense counsel, “it will send a wrong signal and will also create a feeling of insecurity amongst the victim party and will adversely affect the aim of the court to conduct free and fair trial."

The judge has directed that the issue be brought to the notice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court so that appropriate action may be taken in the matter.

According to an Indian Express report, Advocate General of Haryana Baldev Raj Mahajan has said that action would be taken if it is found that Kaushik had made an appearance as alleged.

Junaid, his brother and two cousins were attacked on a Mathura-bound train in June by a mob, which also hurled communal slurs against them. The 15-year-old later died of stabbing injuries. The trial court had recently framed charges against Naresh Kumar among others.