Important witnesses turned hostile.
Facing charges of murder deterred him from contesting the state assembly by-elections. But, his mugshot on hoardings around the town helped his mother win the by-election held in November last year. But, Vikramsinh Rao Puar, the 26-year-old of scion of the Dewas Senior royal family in Madhya Pradesh has been on the run for last 15 months.
The son of Tukoji Rao Puar, a former state minister and MLA of the BJP, was granted bail to perform the last rites of his father. The prince, however, exploited the situation and went absconding after he was denied a bail extension.
But, his photos were seen on hoardings across the town when his mother Gayatri Raje, who stayed away from the politics, made her debut in the by-election in November 2015. Though Puar could not campaign himself for his mother, his photographs did the job and Raje won the election battle.
Though the murder case against Puar is under the consideration of the court, he can come out of hiding soon as most of the prosecution witnesses are turning hostile.
As the case is nearing its final stage, all the important witnesses in the case have turned hostile and some witnesses are to be examined soon. “The case is still in the evidence stage, where some of the government’s witnesses have to be examined,” government pleader Girish Mungee was quoted as saying by India Today. As a result of this, all 13 accused including Puar have been granted bail.
The crime in which the prince was allegedly involved happened on March 18, 2015, when he went to Raghogarh, a village about 40 km from Dewas, to solve a dispute in connection with a land and claim back the same.
The group of 13 was accompanied by two policemen from Barotha police station as they were anticipating an attack by the occupants of the land.
A fight erupted between the group and local people and one Pratap Lodhi, 25, and another person were shot in a firing. The police registered a case of attempt to murder against the prince his men and recovered a pistol from the spot.
On March 22, Lodhi succumbed to injuries and the case against Puar became one of murder. He was arrested following protests by the villagers and sent to jail, but managed to come out of the prison.
Meanwhile, special Judge S.K. Mishra, who granted Puar bail was transferred to Bhind and denied promotion. Barotha’s police station in-charge, Savita Chaudhry, was transferred, as was the sub-divisional officer of police at Bagli and government pleader Ashok Chawla too was shifted out.
But, Vikramsinh Rao Puar, who has been on the run for last 15 months, is yet to come out of hiding. Some people claim that they have seen the prince and he is in Bhopal, the state capital. Be their claim true or fallacious, it shows the unwavering devout of the people for the royal family.