Himachal IG and Seven Officers Sentenced to Life for Custodial Death in Gangrape-Murder Case
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Synopsis
A CBI court sentenced Himachal IG Z.H. Zaidi and seven officers to life imprisonment for the custodial death of an accused in the 2017 gangrape-murder of a schoolgirl in Kotkhai, igniting protests. The case highlighted systemic failures within the police force.
Key Takeaways
- Life sentences for IG Z.H. Zaidi and seven officers.
- Case involves the 2017 gangrape-murder of a schoolgirl in Kotkhai.
- Violent protests followed the incident.
- The Supreme Court transferred the case for quicker resolution.
- Systemic issues within the police force highlighted.
Chandigarh, Jan 27 (NationPress) A CBI court on Monday sentenced Himachal Pradesh Inspector General of Police Z.H. Zaidi and seven other police officials to life imprisonment for the custodial death of an accused in the heinous gangrape-murder of a schoolgirl, which took place in Shimla's Kotkhai in 2017, igniting widespread protests.
The other police personnel convicted include former DSP Manoj Joshi, Sub-Inspector Rajinder Singh, Assistant Sub-Inspector Deep Chand Sharma, Head Constables Mohan Lal, Surat Singh, and Rafee Mohammad, as well as Constable Raneet Sateta.
Defense attorneys for the convicts requested leniency, citing the age, family obligations, and commendable service records of their clients. Notably, the court acquitted former Superintendent of Police D.W. Negi.
This verdict followed the court's conviction announcement on January 18.
In 2019, the Supreme Court transferred the case from Shimla to Chandigarh at the request of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a quicker resolution of the matter.
The victim had gone missing in Kotkhai, with her body discovered in a forest near the town on July 6, 2017, just two days after she vanished.
The horrific crime incited mob violence demanding justice for the victim. According to police reports, the schoolgirl was offered a ride by one of the accused while returning home from school in Kotkhai, located 56 km from Shimla.
During the journey, the accused and his accomplices brutally gang-raped and murdered her in a nearby forest.
Her lifeless body, bearing signs of injury, was later discovered. The Himachal Pradesh government subsequently agreed to recommend a CBI investigation. Once the CBI took over, nine police personnel, including IG Zaidi and former Shimla Superintendent of Police D.W. Negi, were arrested on charges related to the custodial death of the accused Suraj.
Zaidi was leading the Special Investigation Team (SIT) responsible for probing the case before the CBI assumed control. The SIT had previously apprehended six individuals, one of whom (Suraj) died in custody at the Kotkhai police station on the night of July 18, 2017.
As a result, Zaidi and eight others were arrested in connection with the custodial death. The CBI, which detained Nilu, stated he was the sole perpetrator, while those arrested by the Himachal Police were found to be uninvolved, leading to charges against them being dropped.
