Seek Vikas Gill's extradition: Delhi HC

New Delhi: While granting the State's plea to declare Vikas Gill absconding accused in the Jessica Lall murder case as a "proclaimed offender," the Delhi High Court today directed the police to examine the feasibility of seeking his extradition from the US.

A Division Bench headed by Justice Manmohan Sarin gave the direction after the State counsel Mukta Gupta admitted that declaring the accused as a proclaimed offender might only serve the purpose of attaching his property, but cannot ensure his presence in the country.

"What do you want to achieve by declaring him a proclaimed offender? You can only attach his property, but can you ensure his presence? Are you aware where his property is located?" the Bench quizzed the counsel who had no answer for the same.

The Bench then directed her to examine the provisions of the Indo-US Extradition Treaty to examine the feasibility of seeking Gill's extradition.

The court gave the directions even as it asked the Registrar to initiate the necessary proceedings to declare the accused as a proclaimed offender under Sections 82 and 83 of the CrPC Act.

The Bench issued notices to the Chandigarh-based doctor J S Bedi after Gupta submitted that he had issued false medical certificates in favour of the accused to seek his exemption from attending the proceedings in the trial court.

It was alleged that the doctor had issued false certificates on December 10, 2004, January 8, 2005, June 17,

2005 and August 2, 2005 to state that Vikas Gill was suffering from spinal problems and hence was not in a position to attend the court.

The medical reports were false as the accused had fled to the US in October 2004, Gupta told the court.

Gupta had today filed the application for declaring Vikas Gill as a proclaimed offender as the NBW issued against him for securing his presence during the appeal proceedings could not be executed so far.

Arguments in the appeal filed by the Delhi police against the acquittal by the trial court of all the nine accused in the sensational murder is expected to commence from May 31.