Jammu Bar Association president threatened me: Kathua rape victim family's lawyer

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India] April 11 (ANI): Kathua rape victim family's lawyer on Wednesday said Jammu Bar Association President threatened her.

Talking to ANI, Deepika S Rajawat said, "Jammu Bar Association President BS Salathia met me at Jammu and Kashmir High Court, openly extended threats and said don't appear in the court."

She also questioned that why are lawyers trying to protect the accused.

"We saw how local lawyers stopped crime branch from filing charge-sheet. Why are you trying to protect the accused? Are they trying to satisfy an ulterior motive? They are saying that crime branch has not investigated properly," said Rajawat.

An eight-year-old girl was allegedly abducted, drugged, raped, tortured and killed in January. The victim belonged to a nomadic Muslim tribe in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir. After being missing for a week, her body was found on January 17.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police filed an FIR against lawyers of Jammu who tried to prevent Crime Branch officers from filing a charge sheet in a court on Monday in connection with the Kathua rape and murder case.

A special team of the crime branch has made a case of conspiracy, kidnapping, wrongful confinement, gang rape, murder and destruction of evidence against eight accused, which include: Sanjhi Ram, the suspected mastermind, who is a former revenue official and local strongman; his son Vishal Kumar, a college student; Ram's 16-year-old nephew who is the juvenile, and his friend Parvesh Kumar; Special Police Officers (SPOs) of Hiranagar police station Deepak Khajuria and Surinder Kumar; Sub Inspector of Hiranagar police station Anand Dutta, who was also investigating officer in the case, and Head Constable Tilak Raj.

The lawyers of Jammu Bar Association observed a bandh on Wednesday and demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the case.

The lawyers have questioned the credibility of the Crime Branch officials, who according to them are mostly from Kashmir.

The members of Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) also on Wednesday staged a protest here, demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)-led inquiry in the Kathua rape case. The protestors also demanded deportation of Rohingyas from Jammu.

Earlier in the day, Kathua MLA Rajiv Jasrotia evaded questions about the Kathua rape and murder case.

When ANI tried to contact Jasrotia for his reaction on the rape case, he sent a text message: "Sir, I am going to hospital as my mother-in-law is not well."

Later, repeated efforts to contact the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA turned futile as his mobile phone was switched off. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI