Language change may delay proceedings at Pathankot court

Proceedings recorded in Urdu will be translated to English and Hindi in Kathua court first

PATHANKOT: With the Supreme Court decision to transfer the Kathua rape and murder case to a Punjab-based district and sessions court in Pathankot, the language in which the proceedings of the case were being recorded will now be changed from Urdu to English and Hindi in the Kathua court to ensure full understanding of the case in the local court.

The arrangement under which the language is going to be changed may take a week to come into effect.

The case is slated to be heard in Kathua court on May 14.

Though district and sessions Judge Tejwinder Singh, who is likely to hear the case, was not available for the comment, Pathankot district bar council president Thakur Rashpal Singh said the change in language may extend the proceedings for a few days.

“However, the translators will change the language which, due to the modern technology, is not a tough and time-consuming task,” he added.

About the first date of hearing in the Pathankot court, the bar head said, “Whenever the Kathua court feels that the required documents are ready (to transfer the case to the Punjab court), the hearing will start here and be monitored by the Supreme Court.”

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra had ordered an in-camera hearing of the case and the trial was be conducted on day-to-day basis to ensure speedy justice after shifting of the case from the J&K court to Punjab.

The transfer was demanded by father of the victim and the apex court had given liberty to the J&K government to appoint its own public prosecutor to conduct the trial.

Pathankot senior superintendent of police (SSP) Vivek Sheel Soni has already claimed that his officers were prepared to ensure the security of the persons linked with the case.

Bar members have also assured full support to the victim’s family and the persons fighting the case.

The SC had on Monday ordered the district and sessions judge to personally undertake trial proceedings and not assign it to any other judge. It directed there should be no break between examination and cross-examination of the witnesses, who will be provided police protection by state government in Pathankot.

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Whenever the Kathua court feels that required documents are ready (to transfer the case to Pathankot), the hearing will start here. THAKUR RASHPAL SINGH, Pathankot district bar council chief