Kathua rape: Pathankot court refers complaint against SIT to J&K DGP

Pathankot (Punjab), July 9 (IANS) Following a complaint of harassment filed against the special investigation team (SIT) by one of the accused in the gruesome rape and murder of a eight-year-old minor nomadic girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district, a court in this Punjab town on Monday referred it to the Jammu and Kashmir's Director General of Police for investigation.

The matter regarding the complaint against the SIT came up during a day-to-day hearing of the Kathua rape case before the district and sessions court here on Monday.

The judge, while referring the matter to the Jammu and Kashmir DGP, said that the matter was outside the jurisdiction of his court since the SIT was in the neighbouring state and the accused were also lodged in the Kathua jail.

In a related development, the Supreme Court on Monday ordered the shifting of seven accused from Kathua to the district jail in Punjab's Gurdaspur town. 

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice D.Y.Chandrachud and Justice Indu Malhotra ordered the shifting as senior counsel Indira Jaising told the court the purpose of holding day to day hearing has been defeated as the actual trial was taking only for a couple of hours since a lot of time was being lost in bringing the accused from Kathua jail to Pathankot.

The trial of the case, which was shifted from Jammu and Kashmir to Pathankot following the Supreme Court's May 7 order, began on May 31.

The seven accused are alleged mastermind Sanji Ram, his son Vishal Jangotra, Vishal's friend from Rasana village, a Sub-Inspector of Police, a head constable and two special police officers. 

The eight-year-old victim was abducted, held prisoner in a religious place, repeatedly raped and brutally murdered. Two senior ministers of the then ruling PDP-BJP coalition had to resign following their participation in a rally in favour of the accused.