The CJM adjourned the case to February 12 for defence and final argument after recording the statement of remaining four accused here today.

Denying all prosecution charges in the court, the four accused Inderjit Singh, Kuldip Singh, Jasbir Singh and Ashwani Kumar said they were innoccent and had been falsely implicated in the case on mere grounds of suspicion.

An application was filed today by Gurkirat Singh seeking exemption from personal appearance before the court. Holding the stated grounds as sufficient, the CJM granted the same.

It may be recalled that Katia Darnand, a French tourist, was allegedly kidnapped and molested by seven youths including Gurkirat Singh, grandson of assassinated Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh at a factory in Mohali near here on August 31, 1994.

The statements of Gurkirat Singh, his gunman Sukhwinder Singh and Manjinder Singh Teja were recorded on previous hearings.