KOTKHAI CASE: CBI TO SUBMIT REPORT TODAY
CBI has questioned more than two dozen people so far
The CBI will submit its interim report in the Kotkahi rape and murder case before the HP high court on Wednesday. On Tuesday, the investigating agency deputed an IGP (inspector general of police) rank officer to accelerate the probe.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will submit its interim report in the Kotkahi rape and murder case before the Himachal Pradesh high court on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the investigating agency deputed an IGP (inspector general of police) rank officer to accelerate the probe. Earlier, the probe was being headed by DIG rank officers.
The CBI has so far questioned more than two dozen people who are directly or indirectly related to the rape and murder of the 16-year-old Class-10 student.
On Tuesday, the CBI team visited Hilaila village in Shimla district’s Kotkhai tehsil to gather additional information about the crime. The girl’s naked body was found from a forested area near this village on July 4.
Ever since the investigation was handed over to the CBI from the state police, a CBI team has been camping in Shimla. Two FIR’s have been registered so far. One pertains to the rape and murder of the Class-10 student while the other pertains to the custodial death of Nepalese national, Suraj, who was arrested as an accused in the case.
The high court had transferred the investigation to the CBI after the special investigation team of the Himachal Pradesh Police faced widespread allegations that its probe was botched up. The HC had also asked the central agency to submit a status report on August 2 before it.
There were also reports that the CBI has rounded up some youths for questioning, however the agency denied them. “We have neither detained nor arrested anyone so far. The investigations are on,” CBI spokesperson RK Gaur told HT.
“I cannot reveal anything about the status report as of now,” he added.
Meanwhile, it is also learnt that the CBI team has reportedly found that arms, seized contraband and wireless sets from the Kotkhai police station that was set on fire by a mob are missing.
“The ammunition, seized contraband and important materials related to other cases are missing. The police station also had stocks of liquor that were seized during different raids,” a police officer had told HT on Monday on condition of anonymity.
The CID has also asked the district police to provide a list of items that were in the police station before it was attacked by the mob. Initial investigations reveal that the fire damaged the rooms on the ground floor and that other rooms were ransacked by the protestors.
During the attack, the mob had also burnt the record rooms containing profiles and case details of those involved in various crimes.
When contacted, Shimla SP Soumya Sambasivam, said, “I cannot say anything at present. The matter is being investigated,” she said, adding that the Kotkhai police station is now being run from Gumma.