On CBI probe plea, HC asks two accused to approach apex court

Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday asked two of the accused in Kathua rape case, who are seeking transfer of investigation to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), to approach the Supreme Court.

The high court bench of justice RK Jain was hearing a plea of two accused Vishal Jangotra and his father Sanjhi Ram in this regard. The duo has claimed “innocence and false implication” by the Jammu and Kashmir police. The trial is currently underway at a Pathankot court and both the accused are currently lodged in Gurdaspur jail.

Jangotra is a student of BSC (agriculture) at Akansha College of Meerut and Sanjhi Ram is a retire revenue officer.

The court was told that Jangotra was not even in Kathua when the incident took place and was appearing in semester exam from January 9, 2018 to January 27, 2018. Jangotra had also withdrawn some amount from an ATM in Meeurt and to establish that CCTV footage of examination centre as well as bank ATM can be examined, the court was told.

Regarding Sanjhi Ram, the court was told that his phone record does not show any conversation between local policemen whom, as per the prosecution, he had contacted for destruction of crucial evidence

“It appears in the present case, the investigation is being carried out in a biased and tainted manner with a specific design to falsely implicate the petitioners,” the court was told seeking a CBI probe.