Kathua rape, murder case verdict LIVE updates: Victim's family likely to challenge verdict giving life term to three main accused

Clamour grows for capital punishment for accused

The quantum of punishment was pronounced in the Kathua rape and murder case on Monday, in which life term was given to main accused Sanji Ram and two co-conspirators, and the 5-year jail term was given to those found guilty of destroying evidence. However, several Twitter users asked why death penalty was not awarded to the accused despite the victim being a minor. While activist Rahul Easwar said the “monsters” should have been hanged, JNU student activist Shehla Rashid hoped for a “tougher sentencing and conviction of all accused in a higher court”.

Justice done. Finally. Kathua rape and murder accused convicted. Three for life. But the policemen who destroyed all the evidence got off lightly with 5 years in jail.

— Pritish Nandy (@PritishNandy) June 10, 2019

The #kathua punishment is not enough. It deserved capital punishment. Also the #policemen need to get equal punishment as the people who murdered. Their properties should be auctioned and money be given to the family of the victim.

— Rohit Gandhi (@rohitgandhi_) June 10, 2019

Never forget Jammu BJP leaders rallied around these six monsters, says Abhishek Manu Singhvi

After the conviction of six accused in the Kathua rape and murder case, senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi hit out at the BJP leadership in Jammu for coming in support of the accused in 2018. “Never forget that BJP leadership in Jammu rallied around these 6 monsters, gave them support and attempted to prevent law from taking its own course,” he tweeted.

Glad that 6 of the Kathua Gang Rape and Murder accused are now convicted. Never forget that BJP leadership in Jammu rallied around these 6 monsters, gave them support & attempted to prevent law from taking its own course.

— Abhishek Singhvi (@DrAMSinghvi) June 10, 2019

Was expecting capital punishment, says NCW chairperson

Reacting to the quantum of punishment in the Kathur rape and murder case, NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma said that she was expecting capital punishment for the convicts. She tweeted that the Jammu and Kashmir government should approach higher court in the matter.

Was expecting capital punishment for kuthua rape and murder criminals. J and k Government must go for appeal in higher court.

— Rekha Sharma (@sharmarekha) June 10, 2019

Planning to challenge verdict, says prosecution lawyer

After the quantum of sentence was pronounced, Farooqi Khan, lawyer of victim’s father told India Today, “We are little disappointed. We had demanded for capital punishment… Maybe, we’re planning for that (challenging the verdict).”

Sanji Ram, two others get life imprisonment

The Pathankot court has pronounced  life imprisonment of 25 years to Sanji Ram, Parvesh Kumar and Deepak Khajuria in the Kathua rape and murder case. Three others — SI Anand Dutta, head constable Tilak Raj and special police officer Surender Verma — found guilty for destruction of evidence have been sentenced to five years in jail.

Quantum of punishment shortly

CNN-News18 reported that a representation from the defence or the prosecution’s side may step out of the court in the next five to ten minutes to tell the mediapersons about the quantum of punishment given to the six convicts in the Kathua rape and murder case.

Congress welcomes Pathankot court’s judgment

In a tweet, Congress welcomed the Pathankot court’s judgment in the Kathua rape and murder case. It said that the party hoped that the victim’s family can find justice in the verdict.

Arguments conclude from both sides

CNN-News18 reported that the arguments have concluded from both sides. The quantum of punishment is expected to be pronounced shortly.

Three cops convicted for destroying evidence

Three police officers have been convicted for destruction of evidence in the Kathua rape and murder case, said advocate representing the victim in the case. “Police officials Tilak Raj, Anand Dutta and Surender Verma were convicted under section 201 of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) for causing destruction of evidence,” said Mubeen Farooqui, victim’s advocate told reporters outside the court.

The main accused in the case Sanji Ram was booked under section 302 (murder), 376D (gang rape), 363 (kidnapping), 120b (criminal conspiracy), 343 (wrongful confinement) of the RPC.

ANI

Pathankot special court convicts 6 for rape, murder of 8-yr-old in J&K

The Kathua case was brought to a conclusion on Monday with a special court in Punjab’s Pathankot finding six out of the seven accused guilty on charges of rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl belonging to the Bakarwal community in Jammu and Kashmir.

A seventh accused, Vishal, who is the son of main accused Sanjhi Ram, was acquitted in the judgment passed by District and Sessions Judge Tejwinder Singh. The quantum of punishment is likely to be announced at 2 pm on Monday. “The court has convicted six persons. Son of one of the accused Sanji Ram, Vishal has been acquitted,” Farooqi Khan, lawyer of victim’s family said after the sentencing.

Click here to read more

NCW calls for ‘harshest punishment’ for convicts

The National Commission for Women has welcomed the Pathankot court’s decision convicting six persons in the Kathua case and sought harshest punishment for them.

NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma said, “I welcome the decision of the court and request them to give harshest punishment and hang them to set example for others because cases against minors are increasing and it would set an example.”

Shah Faesal lauds Jammu and Kashmir Police for probe 

Bureaucrat-turned-politician Shah Faesal lauded the police for securing the conviction of the accused persons.

“Congratulations to @JmuKmrPolice for getting Raisina Kathua rapists convicted. Politicians tried their best to sabotage the movement for justice to A (the victim). But the Honble Court and the law enforcement agencies stood their ground. Pray we never have to see such horror again,” he tweeted.

Quantum of punishment likely at 4 pm

Defence lawyer Ankur Sharma, after the pronouncement of the judgment in the Kathua rape and murder case which saw six of the accused being held guilty, said that the judgment was “bad and prejudiced”. He also said that the quantum of punishment will be declared at 4 pm.

The defence is now likely to capitalise on the acquittal of the sn of main accused Sanjhi Ram saying that the court had thrown the credibility of the prosecution’s chargesheet into doubt with its acquittal, CNN-News18 reported.

Quantum of punishment against six convicted to be pronounced soon

The quantum of punishment is likely to be pronounced soon. National Commission for Women’s Rekha Sharma called for capital punishment for the perpetrators who were found guilty by the Pathankot court on Monday.

One of the prosecution lawyers, Mubeen Farooq, also said that they would pursue capital punishment for the guilty.

(Image: News18)

Prosecution lawyers likely to challenge acquittal of seventh accused

The prosecution team of lawyers, fighting the Kathua rape and murder case on behalf of the victim’s family, said that they would consider appealing against the acquittal of Vishal, son of the main accused Sanjhi Ram, after examining the judgment.

“We have sought capital punishment against all three accused convicted of murder and gang rape. It was hard work of all of us and a perfect blend of investigation and legal brains. We have achieve 99 percent result,” they said in a statement quoted by The Indian Express.

Defence lawyer rues judgment in case, says evidence was ‘insufficient’

AK Sawhney, one of the defence lawyers in the Kathua rape and murder case was quoted by News18 as saying, " The judgment is based on the perversity of evidence. Evidence was both insufficient and incredible."

Defence lawyer to request mitigated sentence for accused convicted of destroying evidence

Lawyer AK Sawhney, the Defence counsel in the Kathua rape and murder case, told News18 that he had asked for the sentence against those of the six accused convicted for destruction of evidence to be mitigated as “they have already spent one and a half years in jail”.

TIMELINE OF CASE:

Here is the timeline of the Kathua rape and murder case so far, starting from latest to earliest

16 April, 2018: Trial begins before the Principal Sessions Court judge, Kathua. All accused plead ’not guilty'.

7 May, 2018: The Supreme Court shifts the case from Kathua to Pathankot in Punjab. The apex court directs the trial to be fast-tracked and held in-camera, away from media gaze.

3 June, 2019: Trial concludes.

TIMELINE OF CASE:

Here is the timeline of the Kathua rape and murder case so far, starting from latest to earliest

9 April, 2018: The police file the chargesheet before the Kathua court against seven of the eight accused.

10 April, 2018: Chargesheet filed against eighth accused who had claimed to be a juvenile. The police file an FIR against lawyers for protesting and attempting to prevent the crime branch officials from filing the charge sheet in the court on 9 April.

14 April, 2018: BJP ministers who attended the Hindu Ekta Manch rally resign from the state Cabinet. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres terms the crime “horrific” and asks authorities to deliver justice.

TIMELINE OF CASE:

Here is the timeline of the Kathua rape and murder case so far, starting from latest to earliest

22 January, 2018: Case is handed over to Jammu and Kashmir crime branch. 

16 February, 2018: A right-wing group, Hindu Ekta Manch, holds protests in support of one of the accused.

1 March, 2018: Two ministers of the BJP, part of the state’s ruling coalition with the PDP, Chander Prakash Ganga and Lal Singh, attend a rally organised by the Hindu Ekta Manch after the arrest of nephew of a caretaker of a ‘devisathan’ (temple) in connection with the kidnapping and rape.

TIMELINE OF CASE:

Here is the timeline of the Kathua rape and murder case so far, starting from latest to earliest

10 January, 2018: Eight-year-old girl belonging to the Bakarwal tribe goes missing in the Rasana village of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district while grazing cattle.

12 January, 2018: FIR is registered on the complaint of victim’s father at Hiranagar police station.

17 January, 2018: Body of the girl is found. Post mortem confirms gangrape and murder.

Deepika Rajawat says convictions are ‘victory for all’

The victim’s family’s former defence lawyer Deepika Rajawat was jubilant about the Pathankot court’s conviction of the six accused in the case. She was quoted by  CNN-News18  as saying, “It’s a big day and a victory for all of us. We must salute the crime branch for conducting the investigations in a professional manner.”

Neither Jammu, nor Kashmir: Bakarwals who’ve come into focus after the Kathua rape case need to be given citizenship

“The fact of the denial of burial grounds to the Bakkarwals is particularly poignant. It shows a steady decline in their relations with sedentary populations. Increasingly, for both the Kashmiri Muslim and the Jammu Hindus, the Bakkarwals are perceived as outsiders.

As nomadic people, they also suffered acutely because of the militancy in the Valley. Many Bakkarwals, however, continued their migration up and down the mountains in-spite of the daunting odds posed by militancy, by adopting various diversifying strategies such as leaving their children behind with settled friends and relatives, as some young boys were kidnapped by militants.

But incidents such as the Kathua rape have left them stunned. The Bakkarwals are not used to being in the news. Their way is to evade and move on. But how to negotiate this present time without entering the quagmire of the ‘civilised settled’?”

Mehbooba Mufti welcomes conviction of accused

PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti, who was the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir at the time of the rape and murder of the eight-year-old girl in Kathua, welcomed the conviction of the accused on Monday. The case was a bone of contention between the PDP and BJP, who were part of a coalition government at the time.

Welcome the judgement. High time we stop playing politics over a heinous crime where an 8 year old child was drugged, raped repeatedly & then bludgeoned to death. Hope loopholes in our judicial system are not exploited & culprits get exemplary punishment https://t.co/jBuRUdGa5h

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) June 10, 2019

Omar Abdullah says the guilty should get ‘most severe’ punishment

Former chief minister Omar Abdullah lauded the conviction of six of the accused in the Kathua rape and murder case. He said that the guilty people should receive the “most severe” punishment.

Amen to that. The guilty deserve the most severe punishment possible under law. And to those politicians who defended the accused, vilified the victim & threatened the legal system no words of condemnation are enough. #KathuaRapeCase https://t.co/gL2FfRL3rJ

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) June 10, 2019

Quantum of punishment to be pronounced at 2 pm today

Six accused, including three cops, held guilty in Kathua rape and murder case. Son of main accused Sanjhi Ram has been given benefit of doubt in the case. Trial of a juvenile will be held separately. The quantum of punishment will be pronounced lat 2 pm on Monday.

Input by Mukesh Saini

Three convicted of rape and murder, three convicted of destroying evidence

Six of seven accused, including main accused Sanjhi Ram, have been convicted in the Kathua rape and murder case on Monday. India Today reported that three of them were convicted on the charges of rape and murder, and the other three have been convicted on the charges of destroying evidence.

Six accused, except juvenile, convicted in Kathua rape case

Six out of the seven accused have been convicted under three Sections of the IPC, while the juvenile Vishal has been acquitted of all charges. Reports also said that the quantum of punishment will be pronounced at 2 pm on Monday.

Five, including main accused Sanjhi Ram, have been accused: Reports

Several reports have said that five out of seven accused have been convicted the Pathankot special court judge. CNN-News18 also reported that the main accused, Sanjhi Ram, and Tilak Dutta have been convicted. However, the judgment is still being read out.

Five of seven accused have been convicted, say reports

Defence or prosecution lawyers likely to address media

The judgment in the Kathua rape and murder case is being read out by the judge in the Pathankot court at the moment, reports said. The defence and prosecution lawyers are likely to address the media after the judgment is passed in the in-camera trial.

All seven accused summoned inside courtroom

The seven out of eight accused have been summoned inside the courtroom in the Pathankot court according to protocol of the In-camera trial. Anti-riot vehicles have also been deployed outside the court.

Security forces are anticipating protests after judgment

The Punjab Police are anticipating protests after the pronouncement of the verdict in the Kathua rape and murder case, hence additional and tightened security has been deployed around the Pathankot court complex and Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir.

Deepika Rajawat says favourable verdict ‘will answer those trying to divide society’

The victim’s former lawyer, Deepika Rajawat was quoted by News18 as saying, " “It was disturbing to see people protest for the accused, these people were misguided. If verdict comes in our favour it would be an answer to those who try to divide the society.” She also lauded the Supreme Court for shifting the case out of Jammu and Kashmir.

Accused’s families have arrived in court ahead of verdict

The main accused, Sanji Ram’s sister Madhu has arrived at Pathankot special court ahead of the verdict pronouncement.

AK Sawhney says case was ‘conspiracy’ by then state govt

Defence Lawyer AK Sawhney called the Kathua rape and murder case as “a conspiracy” by then-state government. “The then government wanted to frame these people, particularly those from Rasana village. They had a vested interest,” he was quoted by News18 as saying.

He also added that he would also appeal before the Chandigarh High Court if the order is not in their favour.

Kathua rape and murder case verdict expected soon

Defence lawyer says case was ‘marred’ by media trial

Ankur Sharma, the defence lawyer said, “This was marred by media trial. We asked for the CBI trial that wasn’t given. We’ll approach the high court.”

Kathua case verdict comes amid crimes against minors in Aligarh, Bhopal

The Kathua rape case, which hit headlines after it came to light last year and fuelled protests across the country, is to be concluded with a verdict against the accused on Monday.

The verdict comes amid tensions and shock over crimes against minors this week. In Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh , a two and a half-year-old girl was murdered and four people were arrested. On Sunday , an eight-year-old girl’s body was found in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal. Preliminary investigation revealed that she died of strangulation after being raped.

Parents of victim call for death penalty for the accused

The parents of the eight-year-old girl who was gangraped and murdered in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua, who are members of the nomadic Bakarwal community, have called for the Pathankot court to convict the seven accused in the case and sentence them to the death penalty.

Judge arrives at Pathankot court for Kathua case hearing

The district and sessions court judge, Tejwinder Singh, has arrived in the Pathankot court ahead of the hearing in the Kathua rape and murder case. The judgment is likely to be read out in the court around 11 am.

Accused brought to Pathankot court ahead of hearing

Seven out of eight accused — eighth is a juvenile — have been brought to the Pathankot court ahead of the hearing. 

Punjab: Accused brought to Pathankot court ahead of verdict in Kathua rape & murder case pic.twitter.com/BzYcWYAPF2

— ANI (@ANI) June 10, 2019

Defence lawyer confident of acquittal, says prosecution’s witnesses ’turned hostile’

Ankur Sharma, the defence lawyer for the accused, who visited the special court at Pathankot ahead of the trial expressed confidence that the seven accused will get acquitted in the Kathua rape and murder case. He also said that most of the prosecution’s eyewitnesses had turned hostile during the trial.

Input by Mukesh Saini

Ankur Sharma, defence lawyer for accused, expressed confidence that they will get acquitted in the #Kathua rape and murder case. He also said that most of the prosecution's eyewitnesses had turned hostile during the trial. Follow LIVE updates: https://t.co/DbDNOVs1r9 pic.twitter.com/kStDhbrHBC

— Firstpost (@firstpost) June 10, 2019

RECAP

Supreme Court transferred case to Punjab for security reasons

The Supreme Court shifted the case to Pathankot in Punjab from Jammu and Kashmir in May 2018. The apex court’ direction came after lawyers in Kathua prevented Crime Branch officials from filing a charge sheet in the case.

The apex court also instructed that trial should be fast-tracked and be held in-camera.

Police restricting entry into court premises without verification

The Punjab Police are not allowing anyone to enter the court complex in Pathankot without verification, ahead of the hearing in the controversial case of rape and murder of a minor in Kathua last year will start soon.

Input by Gurpreet Chawla

Kathua rape, murder was planned to ‘dislodge’ nomadic tribe form area: chargesheet

The abduction, rape and killing of the eight-year-old child was part of a carefully planned strategy to remove the minority nomadic Bakarwal community from the area, the chargesheet said.

Four police officers accused of ‘destroying evidence’

Two special police officers Deepak Khajuria and Surender Verma, along with head constable Tilak Raj and sub-inspector Anand Dutta, were arrested for “destroying evidence” in the case. Two of them allegedly took Rs 4 lakh from another accused and destroyed crucial evidence.

Kathua case was bone of contention between BJP and PDP

The Kathua rape and murder case had become a bone of contention between the then ruling alliance partners PDP and the BJP after two ministers of the saffron party, Chowdhury Lal Singh and Chander Prakash Ganga, participated in a rally organised by the Hindu Ekta Manch in support of the accused arrested by the state crime branch.

Heavy security deployed outside Pathankot court

Security personnel have been deployed in the court premises in Pathankot on Monday ahead of the hearing in the Kathua rape case.

Input by Bishember Bittu

Security personnel have been deployed in the court premises in Pathankot on Monday ahead of the hearing in the #Kathua rape case. Follow LIVE updates here:https://t.co/DbDNOVs1r9 pic.twitter.com/lATS8RZIHl

— Firstpost (@firstpost) June 10, 2019

Accused facing life imprisonment, death penalty

The seven accused in the Kathua rape and murder case, if convicted, face minimum life imprisonment and maximum death penalty. All the accused, barring the juvenile, were shifted to Gurdaspur jail following an intervention by the Supreme Court which also restricted appearance of the defence lawyers and limited it to one or maximum of two per accused.

Seven accused charged with rape and murder

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court, before the case was ordered to be transferred out of the state, had framed charges against the accused under the Ranbir Penal Code(RPC), including Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder) and 376-D (gang-rape), according to the prosecution.

Security tightened in Pathankot in Punjab and Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir

Ahead of the verdict in the Kathua rape and murder case, which is likely to be pronounced on Monday at 10 am, special security arrangements were put in place around the special court in Punjab’s Pathankot, and also in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir.

Punjab: Security heightened outside Pathankot court ahead of verdict in Kathua rape-murder case pic.twitter.com/XaCdsSMnKd

— ANI (@ANI) June 10, 2019

Punjab court to pronounce verdict today

The in-camera trial in the case that shook the nation ended on 3 June, when district and sessions judge Tejwinder Singh had announced that the verdict was likely to be delivered on 10 June.

Kathua rape and murder case verdict likely today

The verdict in the case of rape and murder of an eight-year-old nomadic girl in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir will be delivered by a special court on Monday.