Kotkhai rape and murder: CBI files chargesheet against eight police officers in custodial death of accused

Shimla: The CBI on Saturday filed chargesheet against eight police personnel, including an IG rank officer, in connection with the custodial death of an accused in the rape-and-murder case of a minor in Kotkhai on 4 July. These police officers were a part of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) that was set up to probe the rape and murder of the girl. They were arrested by the CBI on 29 July in connection with the custodial death of Suraj Singh, a 29-year-old labourer from Nepal. In the 500-page charge sheet, filed in the the designated CBI court, the accused have been charged with murder, conspiracy, wrongful confinement to extort confession, causing grievous hurt, framing incorrect record and destroying evidence, CBI sources said. [caption id=“attachment_4227743” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. PTI[/caption] Judge Rajinder Singh extended the judicial remand of the eight police officials and Superintendent of Police DW Negi, arrested on 16 November by the central probe agency, till 7 December. Challan against DW Negi is yet to be presented. Suraj Singh, who was a suspect in the rape-and-murder of a minor school girl in Kotkhai area of Shimla in early July, was among six people arrested by the local police. He was allegedly killed by a co-accused at the Kotkhai police station on the night of 18 July, triggering a massive public outrage. The CBI, which was later handed over the probe into the case by the Himachal Pradesh High Court, questioned several people before arresting IGP Zahur Haidar Zaidi and seven other police officials. The Class 10 student had gone missing on 4 July and her naked body was recovered from Haliala forests in Kotkhai on 6 July.