Kathua-rape: Prime accused said "was like grandfather to victim"
Sanji Ram, the prime accused in Kathua rape case, has reportedly said he was like a grandfather to the eight-year-old victim. In an affidavit sent to the Supreme Court, Ram and his son Vishal claimed they were innocent and appealed for the case to be transferred to CBI. Sanji Ram told the apex court a 'fair treatment' for the accused should take place.
In January, a group of men, including cops, kidnapped an eight-year-old child of the nomadic Bakarwal community in Kathua. She was drugged and raped repeatedly for days, before being brutally murdered. A cop wanted to rape her "one last time" before she was killed. One traveled from Meerut to "satisfy his lust." The rapists wanted to drive out the Bakarwals, whom they consider inferior.
In the affidavit, Sanji Ram claimed tainted officers were a part of the SIT team investigating the case. He alleged he was framed because of police's personal biases against him. He even opposed the petition of hearing the case in Chandigarh. Sanji Ram claimed it would be 'impossible' for 221 prosecution witnesses to travel to Chandigarh, almost 265 km from Kathua, for the hearing.
"In the interest of justice and fair play, investigation so far carried out is shrouded with mystery. The investigation has been carried out by tainted officers of Crime Branch, Kashmir and there are lacunas in the investigation resulting in a miscarriage of justice," claimed the affidavit.
Sanji Ram even asked Supreme Court to remove security of lawyer Deepika Singh Rajawat as she wasn't a lawyer of the trial court. A few days ago, the investigating officers claimed Sanji Ram planned the murder of the child to save his son Vishal. He allegedly convinced his nephew to accept his crime and promised to get him out of prison soon.
