Haryana Government Removes Vikas Barala's Name From Newly Appointed Law Officers' List Amid Backlash

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Haryana capitulated to public backlash and removed the name of Vikas Barala from the list of newly appointed law officers in the office of the Haryana Advocate General (AG). The Nayab Singh Saini-led government came under tremendous pressure after Vikas Barala—who was accused of stalking and sexually harassing a woman in 2017—was appointed as Assistant Advocate General (AAG) in Haryana at the Advocate General’s office.

According to reports, the Haryana government has conveyed to Vikas its decision to drop his name from the official list.

The government reportedly took the decision after Vikas’s father and BJP MP Subhash Barala requested the government to remove his name from the list.

Background of the Case

In August 2017, Vikas and his friend Ashish Kumar faced criminal charges for allegedly pursuing and attempting to abduct DJ Varnika Kundu, whose father, VS Kundu, is a retired IAS officer.

The charges stemmed from Varnika’s complaint regarding an incident on the night of August 4, when she reported that a vehicle had followed her while she was driving home to Chandigarh. She alleged that the car’s occupants, Vikas and Ashish, tried to block her route and force their way into her car.

The case is still ongoing in a Chandigarh court, with the next hearing scheduled for August 2, 2025. Vikas remains free on bail.

BJP MP Subhash Barala's Son Vikas Appointed Assistant Advocate General In Haryana Despite Pending Stalking Case

Following his arrest, Barala was held in custody for five months from August 2017 until the Punjab and Haryana High Court granted him bail in January 2018.

The case has progressed through various stages, with the prosecution concluding its evidence on April 9 and the accused submitting their statements in May this year. The matter is now before a magistrate for defense evidence presentation on August 2.

Chandigarh Stalking Case: Both accused Vikas Barala & Ashish brought to Chandigarh District Court for hearing pic.twitter.com/Y1FsJMtp4k

— ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2017

During the legal proceedings, Barala pursued legal education and qualified as a lawyer in 2019. The state government subsequently added him to its panel of attorneys representing various boards and corporations. Most recently, he was appointed as Assistant Advocate General, one of 97 legal officers approved by former Governor Bandaru Dattatreya on July 18.