Accused Jammu Cops Seek Fresh Probe in Kathua Case

After a Special Investigation Team arrest a policeman and an SPO in the Kathua rape and murder case, the two cops have petitioned for fresh CBI probe in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. It also sought to cancel the investigation by the state crime branch.

The SIT had arrested Sub-Inspector Anand Dutta and Special Police Officer (SPO) Deepak Khajuria for allegedly destroying evidence related to the rape and killing of an eight-year-old girl in the state's Kathua district.

The two cops’ counsel Veenu Gupta filed the petition in the J&K HC on 23 April. The reason that the two cops are giving to quash the earlier investigation is that Jammu authorities shifted the probe three times from the local police to CBI to SIT.

It further expressed disbelief over how can a policeman, involved in a rape and murder case a few years ago evade arrest for three years despite being an officer, and become a member of the SIT.

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They further said that the post-mortem and forensic reports have several anomalies and that the crime branch probe was ‘incorrect’. They also said that the SIT had planted evidences and the crime branch found the girl’s body at a devasthan.

The officer's subsequent acquittal in a trial court for lack of evidence is a matter of record, it said.

They further said that the post-mortem and forensic reports have several anomalies and that the crime branch probe was ‘incorrect’. They also said that the SIT had planted evidences and the crime branch found the girl’s body at a devasthan.

The cops claimed in the petition that the investigation is only aiding infringement of government land through Tribal people.

The girl belonged to a minority community of Bakarwal tribe who had gone missing on January 10 and found dead exactly a week later on January 17. On January 23, the state government shifted the case from local police to crime branch who formed an SIT to probe the case. On its investigation, it found eight people guilty and arrested them including the sub-inspector and the SPO, charging them with destruction of evidence.

The incident reached the capital in two months and recently nationwide protests are going on to ask for justice for the young girl.

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