Chargesheet against Varun Gandhi ready: Police

A chargesheet is ready against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Varun Gandhi, say police in Uttar Pradesh after forensic experts confirmed that three CDs of the hate speeches he allegedly delivered in Pilibhit constituency ahead of elections were genuine.

"The chargesheet against Varun is ready and we are waiting for the government's nod to file it," Prakash D, the Pilibhit superintendent of police, told reporters on Tuesday.

The Chandigarh-based Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) has said the CD recordings were in Varun Gandhi's voice.

A top official of the state police had earlier said criminal charges against Varun Gandhi were yet to be substantiated because he had reportedly refused to give his voice sample to investigating authorities in Pilibhit.

Three criminal cases are registered against Varun Gandhi for his alleged hate speeches during the election campaign in Pilibhit in March ahead of the 15 Lok Sabha polls. Varun Gandhi is the MP from Pilibhit.

Confirming that the CFSL had submitted its report, another official said here: "We had sent three recordings of Varun Gandhi's speeches to the Chandigarh-based forensic science laboratory. Matching his voice sample with that in the recordings is only a matter of formality."

"There were also video recordings of the speeches," he said, claiming that Varun Gandhi had refused to give his voice sample every time he was approached by an investigating officer.

Commenting on the issue, additional director general of police (law and order) Brijlal said: "The chargesheet is ready but we will not comment any further as the matter is sub-judice."

Before sending the samples to the CFSL, the CDs were also sent to the lone Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) of the state in Lucknow. "However, as the FSL does not have the required facilities, the samples were sent to Chandigarh," Brijlal said.

The first criminal case, relating to the anti-Muslim speech he allegedly delivered at a public rally in Barkhera village of Pilibhit district March 8, was registered March 17. The second case was registered over the same incident at the behest of the Election Commission, which took serious cognisance of the speech.

Another reported hate speech delivered by Varun Gandhi at Desh Nagar locality of Pilibhit town March 7 was registered March 19.

Three evidence exhibits sent to the forensic lab for analysis comprised a compact disk, a mini video cassette that was recorded at Barkhera and a microchip, which contained a voice recording from Desh Nagar.

Besides the CFSL report, the state police also have an array of evidence, like affidavits and recorded statements of 20 people. A total of six FIRs have been filed in Pilibhit against Varun Gandhi, who is currently out on bail.