Kathua rape case accused Sanji Ram moves Supreme Court opposing transfer of case; plea to be heard tomorrow

Kathua rape case accused Sanji Ram moved Supreme Court on Wednesday opposing transfer of the case from Jammu, saying that he has been falsely implicated. The apex court will hear Ram’s plea on Thursday, CNN-News 18 said.

Ram, a retired official of the revenue department, is believed to have masterminded the heinous crime to create fear among the nomadic Bakerwal (goatherd) community in the village, so that they could be pushed out. He is the custodian of the temple where the girl was allegedly held in captivity. [caption id=“attachment_4438869” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Supreme Court. Reuters[/caption] Nine accused, including Ram, his son Vishal Kumar, a police head constable, two special police officers (SPOs) and a sub-inspector of police were arrested in the case. On Wednesday, the alleged juvenile offender detained in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua was produced before a magisterial court amid tight security, and were given the copies of the Crime Branch chargesheet against him and other prosecution documents. Earlier on 16 April, the eight people accused of raping and killing the eight-year-old pleaded not guilty and asked the judge for a narco-analysis test. The trial into the case, which has become the focal point of outrage across the country, began in Jammu on 15 April. A day earlier, the chargesheet was filed against the excused. With inputs from PTI