Kathua: The trial in the Kathua rape and murder case against the eight accused men who allegedly drugged, tortured and gang-raped an 8-year-old girl in a village temple here for a week in January this year, begins on Monday, 16 April.
April 28 as the next date fixed for hearing.
The Supreme Court on Monday said that it will hear later in the day a plea by the father of Kathua rape and murder victim seeking transfer of trial to Chandigarh.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra directed the hearing of the matter to 2 p.m.
Dipika Singh Rajawat, lawyer of victim’s father, sought the transfer of trial from Kathua to Chandigarh, as she said she has been facing threats.
According to reports, the Jammu and Kashmir government has appointed two special public prosecutors, both Sikhs, for the trial in the sensitive case. This move is being seen as an effort to ensure there is “neutrality” in view of Hindu-Muslim polarisation over the case.
#WATCH: Daughter of accused Sanji Ram alleges conspiracy in the #KathuaCase, demands CBI probe pic.twitter.com/BZd0LdPjgn
— ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2018
Court directed that chargesheet copies should be provided to all accused, we are ready for narco tests. Next date of hearing is April 28: Ankur Sharma, Counsel for accused. #KathuaCase pic.twitter.com/71bLDJS1St
— ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2018
Everything will be clear after Narco test: One of the accused in #Kathua case after hearing at District Court #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/r8L0tvEsu0
— ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2018
Aseem Sahni, Counsel for accused constable Tilak Raj said that full chargesheet copy has not been provided.
https://twitter.com/ANI/status/985738942556368897
Kathua rape and murder case: Visuals of the accused being brought to District Court pic.twitter.com/uw9WU1D6tN
— ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2018
In connection with the case, two First Information Reports (FIRs) have been filed: one against eight people for allegedly being involved in the crime and another has been filed against a group of lawyers which had allegedly stopped the police from filing chargesheet against the eight accused.
ALSO READ: Kathua rape: Nothing deterred these two to do justice to their role
Two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ministers leaders, Chandra Prakash Ganga and Lal Singh, have also resigned following accusations of attending a rally in support of the miscreants responsible for the crime.
The alleged gangrape and murder of the eight-year-old girl, who belonged to nomadic Muslim community, took place in the Kathua district in January. After being missing for a week, her body was found on January 17.
Details of the rape-murder revealed by the charge sheet triggered public and political outrage and exposed cracks in the state’s ruling coalition.
In Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district, an eight-year-old Muslim nomadic girl was allegedly abducted, drugged, gang-raped, tortured and killed. After being missing for a week, her body was found on January 17.
ANI inputs
Juvenile arrested in rape and murder case of s-year-old minor moves bail application before judicial magistrate. It will be heard later today.
Sanji Ram, the caretaker of the “Devisthan” (small temple), listed one of the main accused in the gruesome rape and murder case claimed that a Narco test result would “clear everything”.
The accused lawyer claimed the victim’s lawyer Deepika Singh Rajawat doesn’t represent the victim’s family in this case as the State leads the prosecution.’It is a falsehood that is being pedalled. The lady is not a lawyer. the state leads the prosecution. She has not been appointed as special VP,’ he said.
Daughter of main accused Sanji Ram alleges conspiracy, demands CBI probe.