 "Nari Shakti sets sail: 10 women officers from 3 forces on historic voyage around the world")
 "CP Radhakrishnan takes oath as Vice President of India")
Kathua rape and murder case latest updates: “There was no pressure on me to resign, I have done it by myself. If my resignation can save the image of my party, I will give this sacrifice,” BJP leader Chander Prakash Ganga said about his resignation to ANI. He added that he has demanded a CBI enquiry into the case and asserted that he has never practised “politics for power.” The resignations of two BJP ministers, who courted controversy by attending a rally supporting those accused of raping and killing a young girl in Kathua, will be handed over to Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti for further action, said senior BJP leader Ram Madhav. The senior BJP leader said the resignation of the ministers was to address the fears of not only its ally PDP and the people of Jammu and Kashmir but also the entire nation. Terming as “horrific” the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district,
UN chief Antonio Guterres
has expressed hope that the authorities will bring perpetrators of the brutal crime to justice. “I think we’ve seen the media reports of this horrific case, of the abuse and the murder of a young girl. We very much hope that the authorities will bring the perpetrators to justice so they can be held accountable for the murder of this young girl,” Guterres’ spokesperson Stephane Dujjaric told reporters at his daily press briefing on Friday. According to CNN-News18, the key PDP legislative meet will take place at 2 pm on Saturday. The Kathua rape case is likely to on the top agenda during the meet. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had raised the issue of two BJP ministers “obstructing the process of justice”, in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua, last week with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi who “assured” her that heads will roll. The BJP’s architect of alliance with the PDP,
Ram Madhav, has arrived in the state
on Saturday to follow up on the prime minister’s commitment even as the two tainted ministers have resigned. According to
ANI
, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti will request the state high court Chief Justice to establish a special fast track court for the Kathua rape case. It will be the first in the state where the trial will be expected to be completed within 90 days. PDP sources also said that the accused policemen are being terminated from service. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday lauded the people of Jammu for dismissing communal forces and their unwavering support for justice to an eight-year-old girl who was raped and killed in Kathua. “I commend the manner in which the people of Jammu dismissed communal forces and were unwavering in their support for a little girl. It has strengthened my belief that Jammu serves as a model of inclusiveness and together the people of J-K inspire secular unity and righteousness,” Mufti said in a tweet. BJP leader Chaudhary Lal Singh on Saturday defended his participation in a rally supporting the accused in the Kathua rape and killing case, saying that it was meant to defuse the situation and restore normalcy. Singh and Chander Prakash Ganga, BJP ministers in the Jammu and Kashmir coalition government, on Friday tendered their resignations after facing criticism for their participation in the event. Speaking to
ANI
, BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav in Jammu said: “A meeting will be held. We will take stock of the current situation. The resignation of two ministers will be discussed as well.” A meeting of senior leaders of the ruling PDP has been called on Saturday to decide the party’s course of action amid demands to remove two ministers of its ally BJP from the Jammu and Kashmir government for participating in a rally supporting those accused in the rape and killing of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua. On the eve of the meeting, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came out with a statement signed by its senior leader Nizamuddin Bhat in which it blamed the Centre and “hawkish and communal” elements in its coalition partner BJP for failing the purpose of the alliance between the two parties in Jammu and Kashmir. “The conduct of communal and hawkish elements in BJP is giving serious blow to PDP’s expectations on Kashmir and New Delhi’s own attitudes are failing the purpose of alliance between the two parties,” Bhat, who is considered to be a close aide of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, said. [caption id=“attachment_4429701” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
File image of protesters in Jammu. News18[/caption] He said it was time for the party to decide its future course of action, “befitting its sacrifice and hard earned reputation as a guardian of people’s honour and dignity”. Bhat endorsed the sentiments of Tourism Minister Tasaduq Mufti, who had said that the PDP had become a “partner in crime with the BJP and the gradual schism of state’s residents may lead to unprecedented bloodshed.” Bhat said Tasaduq Mufti has represented the sentiment of the party’s rank and file. He said he cannot remain quiet just because he is in the government and that the PDP will have to “take one last bow and apologise to people for having unknowingly pushed them into something they did not deserve.” “PDP owes its emergence to avowed objectives of peace, and reconciliation and it cannot commit a sin to defeat the mission of its patron or undermine the sacrifices of its people and party workers by compromising on the basic agenda,” he said. Bhat said the PDP hoped that the massive mandate to BJP at the national level would be used to the advantage of peace and resolution. “Similarly, it (PDP) expected that state will witness a sustainable political atmosphere of harmony and shared concerns. Unfortunately, that is seemingly not happening. On the contrary, uncertainty is gripping the state. Conflict is devouring lives and resource,” he said. Bhat said Mehbooba Mufti was pained with every killing in Kashmir. “Unfortunately her every hope is belied through perpetual betrayals and the state reels under the shadow of death and destruction,” he said. Sources within the party said Mehbooba Mufti, who is also president of the PDP, has been holding consultations with senior leaders of the party who have conveyed their displeasure over the statements issued by two the two BJP ministers — Industries and Commerce Minister Chander Prakash and Forest Minister Lal Singh — during a rally in March this year. “It is too difficult to sit with the same ministers who have been openly supporting people accused of rape,” a senior party leader said on condition of anonymity. “A meeting of senior party leaders is being held [on Saturday] and important issues relating to political, party and administration in Jammu and Kashmir will be discussed,” PDP chief spokesman Rafi Ahmed Mir said. The leaders may also discuss the emerging situation in Jammu, he said. Asked whether Mehbooba Mufti has given an ultimatum to the BJP to sack the two ministers, Mir said it was matter to be discussed between the alliance partners “and after that we well see”. Ganga and Singh had hit out at the police for arresting “one or the other person at will” in connection with the rape of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua. The girl, who belonged to the nomadic Bakerwal Muslim community, had disappeared from a spot near her house in Kathua on 10 January. A week later, her body was found in the same area. A Special Investigation Team, formed to probe the incident, has arrested eight people, including two special police officers (SPOs) and a head constable, who was charged with destroying evidence. Jammu has been on tenterhooks since the brutal rape and murder. With inputs from PTI
Kathua rape and murder case updates: Lawyer who spoke out seeking justice for victim attacked in Udhampur
A meeting of senior leaders of the ruling PDP has been called on Saturday to decide the party’s course of action against two BJP ministers for participating in a rally supporting those accused in the rape and killing of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua.
)
Jammu lawyers suspend agitation, resume work
The Jammu High Court Bar Association (JHCBA) on Monday resumed work after staying away from courts for 12 days in support of their various demands including handing over the Kathua rape and murder case to CBI and deportation of illegally settled Rohingyas. The decision to resume work was taken at a general house meeting of the JHCBA held under the chairmanship of its president B S Slathia.
“The general house decided to temporarily suspend the agitation, responding to the appeal of Bar Council of India (BCI), and the Supreme Court taking cognizance of the issue (Kathua rape and murder case),” Slathia said. – PTI ( Read more here )
Advocate ND Pachauli asks ‘how can lawyers in Jammu and Kashmir not allow chargesheet to be filed?’
One of the protesting lawyers Advocate ND Pachauli asked how can lawyers in Jammu and Kashmir not allow chargesheet to be filed when such a heinous crime has been committed.
A section of lawyers are not allowing legal action to be taken smoothly
One of the protesting lawyers, Som Dutt, said that a section of lawyers in Jammu and Kashmir is not allowing legal course to be taken smoothly in the case and it is unfair.
Those disrupting rule of law using saffron flags should be punished: Lawyers
Lawyers protesting near the Supreme Court say that those who try to interfere with the rule of law after raising saffron flags, must be punished.
SC issued orders to authorities to protect us: Kathua case lawyer Deepika Singh Rajawat
We will ensure justice is given: BJP MLA Ravinder Raina
Meanwhile, BJP MLA Ravinder Raina said, “We will ensure that justice is given. We have full faith in the judicial system. It’s the most autonomous body and doesn’t work under anyone’s pressure.”- CNN-News 18
Shalu Nigam says lawyers who stood for the accused should be punished by the cancellation of licenses
Protesting lawyers take out silent march from Indian Law Institute to Bar Council of India in Delhi
The lawyers demand that the lawyers who stood for accused should be punished by cancellation of licenses.
SC lawyer Indira Jaisingh says ‘state police has done a good job’
Supreme Court lawyer Indira Jaising told the apex court, said, “State police had done a good job and it not only arrested all the accused persons on evidence but also on a scientific basis.” Appearing for the victim’s father, she told the Supreme Court, “The atmosphere is not conducive to a fair trial. The atmosphere is highly polarised.”- ANI
Lawyers protest outside Supreme Court over the conduct of lawyers in Jammu
SC notice to Jammu and Kashmir govt, orders security for Kathua victim’s family, lawyer
The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Jammu and Kashmir state government seeing a reply on the Kathua rape and murder case plea that was file by the victim’s father. The apex court has also ordered security to victim’s family and lawyer. The next hearing on the plea to transfer case will be on 27 April. ( Read more here. )
As Kerala shuts down to protest incident, normal life gets derailed; several protesters taken into custody
A shutdown called by a section of social media users against the rape and murder of a girl in Jammu and Kashmir derailed normal life in parts of Kerala. Police took several protesters into custody. The worst affected districts included Kozhikode, Kannur, Malappuram, Palakkad and parts of Thiruvananthapuram. What began as a campaign in the social media on Sunday against the brutality heaped on an eight-year-old in Kathua region led to a shutdown on Monday. Angry demonstrators, some shouting anti-RSS slogans, blocked traffic and forced shops to shut. – Read more here
Chargesheet to be provided to accused on Tuesday
According to NDTV, chargesheet will be provided to the accused on Tuesday while the plea to move the case out of Jammu and Kashmir will be heard on Monday.
Chargesheet says abduction, rape carefully planned to remove nomadic community from area
The victim from a minority nomadic community was allegedly held in captivity in a small village temple in Kathua district for a week in January this year during which she was kept sedated and sexually assaulted before being bludgeoned to death.
According to the chargesheets filed by the Crime Branch, the abduction, rape and killing of the girl was part of a carefully planned strategy to remove the nomadic community from the area. A separate chargesheet was filed for the juvenile. The counsel for the accused demanded a copy of the chargesheet filed by the Crime Branch on April 9 before the chief judicial magistrate.- PTI
Supreme Court to hear plea to move case out of Jammu and Kashmir at 2 pm
The victim’s father has approached the Supreme Court seeking safety, security and transfer of the case outside Jammu and Kashmir to a Chandigarh court. The Supreme Court is set to hear the matter at 2 pm. Victim’s father believes there cannot be a fair trial in Kathua.
RECAP: Eight accused in Kathua rape case produced before court today, next hearing on 28 April
The eight people accused of raping and killing an eight-year-old girl in Kathua on Monday pleaded not guilty and asked the district and sessions judge for a narco test.
As the trial in the case, which has become the focal point of outrage across the country, began in Kathua, District and Sessions Judge Sanjay Gupta asked the state Crime Branch to give copies of the chargesheet to the accused and fixed 28 April as the next date of hearing.
Jammu Bar not favouring rapists, say women lawyers, claim victim’s family had flagged unfair inquiry
After lawyer Deepika Singh Rajwat — who is fighting the case of an eight-year-old girl from Kathua who was raped and murdered — accused the Jammu High Court Bar Association president of threatening her, the Jammu Bar on Sunday sent a team of women lawyers to defend its president Bopinder Singh Salathia. The Bar had come under criticism for calling a strike against the Crime Branch of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and demanding a CBI probe into the incident.
“We are not favouring rapists, we demand justice for the victims. The dispensation of justice should not become a political football,” said Kaur, adding, “There was a writ petition filed by the victim’s family that said that the police had not launched a proper inquiry into the case.”
‘Being called anti-Hindu,’ claims lawyer Deepika Rajawat
Lawyer Deepika Rajawat, who is representing the victim’s family in the Kathua rape and murder case, said that she was being called “anti-Hindu” and facing social boycott for taking up the case, as per The Indian Express .“Today, I don’t know, I am not in my senses. I can be raped, I can be killed and may be they won’t allow me to practice in court. They (have) isolated me, I don’t know how I can survive,” the report quoted Rajawat as saying.
Victim’s relatives accuse media of ignoring Kathua rape for three months
Relatives of the victim present outside the Kathua court on Monday accused the media of ignoring extensive reportage of this heinous crime for nearly three months. – IANS
PIL asks for case transfer, additional security
According to the copy of the PIL with Bar and Bench , the appellants have requested for the following:
- Issue appropriate write, order or direction to transfer case to a court of “competent jurisdiction” at Chandigarh.
- Adequate security in plain clothes police to victim’s family, lawyer Deepika Rajawat and Talib Hussain.
- Direct concerned authorities to strengthen security at home where accused juvenile is lodged, not let unauthorised persons meet him.
- Order a court-monitored probe.
- Issue a stay on proceedings before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kathua
Indira Jaising to represent lawyer Deepika Rajawat as well seeking security for family
A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud considered the submission advanced by senior advocate Indira Jaising, representing Deepika Rajawat and Anuja Kapur, for urgent hearing of the two petitions on Monday itself.
A plea filed by Delhi-based lawyer Anuja Kapur, seeks transfer of the sensational gangrape case from Kathua trial court to a local court in the National Capital.
Visuals of protests against Kathua, Unnao cases across the country
Senior lawyer Indira Jaising to appear on behalf of Kathua victim’s father in SC
The Supreme Court will hear the victim’s father’s plea to move the Kathua rape case to Chandigarh from Jammu. Senior Counsel Indira Jaising will appear on behalf of the victim’s family, reported Live Law.
Nirbhaya’s mother says slow pace of judicial system aiding rapists
Speaking to ANI , the 2012 Delhi gangrape victim Nirbhaya’s mother Asha Devi said that crimes like the Kathua and Unnao rape cases were taking place because the slow of the judicial system was not instilling fear in the culprits’ minds.
Accused juvenile moves bail application, matter to be heard today
The juvenile accused arrested in the Kathua rape and murder case has moved a bail application before the judicial magistrate. The matter will be heard later on Monday.
All eight accused plead ’not guilty’, demand narco test
All eight accused in Kathua rape and murder case have pleaded ’not guilty’, and asked the district and sessions judge for a narco test.
Medical checkup of DCW chief Swati Maliwal underway
Demanding the death penalty for rapists, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal continued her indefinite hunger strike on Monday despite warnings from doctors.
WATCH: Accused Sanji Ram’s daughter alleges conspiracy, demands CBI probe
Speaking to reporters, the key accused Sanji Ram’s daughter alleged there was a conspiracy and demanded a CBI probe into the case.
Lawyer asks for full copy of chargesheet
“After the case was called and all accused appeared, I filed my Wakalatnama. I asked for a copy of chargesheet. There is 490-page copy and I did not receive any copy. Is this a hallmark of a fair trial?” asked one of the accused’s lawyers.
Accused Sanji Ram said narco test will clear out everything
According to the main accused in the Kathua rape case, Sanji Ram said that everything will be clear after Narco test.
Victim’s father asks Supreme Court to transfer case out of Jammu and Kashmir
Eight-year-old victim’s father approached the Supreme Court seeking safety, security and transfer of the case outside Jammu and Kashmir. The family will ask the apex court to let the case be heard in Chandigarh instead. The Supreme Court wil hear the matter at 2 pm, reports said.
Jammu and Kashmir Crime Branch to hand over notices issued to Jammu, Kathua Bar Council
The crime branch will be handing over the notices issued to the Jammu Bar Council as well as Kathua Bar Council for appearing before the Supreme Court on 19 April.
WATCH: Spot where eight-year-old girl was raped and killed in Kathua
‘Full chargesheet copy not provided to us,’ claims accused constable’s lawyer
Speaking to ANI, the counsel for accused constable Tilak Raj, in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua, said that he has not been provided with the copy of the full chargesheet. “Full chargesheet copy has not been provided to us. We are depending on information from social media. We are handicapped,” counsel Aseem Sahni said.
Death penalty won’t solve problem, attitude towards women needs to change
The facts show that to prevent sexual crimes, we have to make large changes in our society and its treatment of women at the level of the family, writes Aakar Patel in this Firstpost article . And we need to ensure that the existing laws on reporting sexual violence are followed at the level of every police station across India. This is very, very hard work but it will ensure that the rate of reporting goes up, at least to the levels where it is in the rest of the world. After the rate of reporting goes up, the state needs to ensure that it conducts proper investigations (which need resources and cannot be done with the same force or budget) that increases the rate of convictions.
Indian students groups in Britain seek swift action in Kathua, Unnao rapes
As many as 19 Indian student and alumni groups in various British universities have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Kathua and Unnao rape cases, seeking tough measures against the culprits before he addresses his “Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath” event in London on 18 April.
“We, the Indian student and alumni community in the UK, are deeply horrified and demand immediate proceedings against the accused in both cases (Kathua and Unnao). By taking swift and strict action, please show that the Indian government’s initial silence and delayed response to these horrific crimes against humanity are not a support of the accused because the accused have some or the other link with those in power.”
“Prime Minister, you have not shied away from taking difficult decisions in the past, such as with demonetisation. Please take similar extraordinary steps to prove that India’s daughters matter,” the groups said in the letter. – IANS
Delhi lawyers to hold protest march at 3 pm today
Lawyers in New Delhi will be holding a march in protest at 3 pm on Monday against the “conduct” of lawyers of the Bar Association Jammu, who earlier had come out in support of those accused in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua.
The lawyers will march to the Bar Council of India and present a memorandum demanding action against the Jammu lawyers.
WATCH: Kathua rape and murder case trial to begin today