Police to submit supplementary chargesheet in Kathua rape-and-murder case
Jammu, Apr 21: The Crime Branch of J&K Police which is investigating the rape and killing of a minor girl in Kathua district, is in the process of submitting a supplementary charge-sheet in the case, a police spokesperson said today.
However, the spokesperson did not mention the date when the supplementary charge-sheet would be filed.
The Crime Branch submitted a charge-sheet in the case against seven of the eight accused in the case at a court in Kathua on April 09, amid protest by local lawyers. The next day it filed a separate charge-sheet against another accused, who was earlier said to be a juvenile.
“After completion of all legal formalities of investigation, a charge-sheet was produced in the competent court of law and the investigating agency is in the process of submitting a supplementary charge-sheet,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying in a statement here.
He also said there is no truth in reports that the girl was not subjected to rape before her killing.
“On the strength of opinion furnished by medical experts, it has been confirmed that the victim was found subjected to sexual assault by the accused,” the spokesperson said, adding the medical expert has also opined that the hymen of the victim was not found intact.
On the basis of medical opinion, Section 376 (D) Ranbir Penal Code was added in the case. Medical opinion has established beyond doubt that the victim was held in captivity and administered sedatives and her cause of death was asphyxia leading to cardio-pulmonary arrest, he said.
The body of the girl was recovered from a forest in the district on January 17, a week after she went missing while grazing horses in the forest area.
On January 23, the government had handed over the case to the Crime Branch, which formed a Special Investigation Team and arrested eight people including two Special Police Officers (SPOs) and a Head Constable, who was charged with destruction of evidence.
Vaginal swabs match with accused, confirms forensic lab
Srinagar, Apr 21: The Delhi Forensic Science Laboratory (DFSL) has confirmed that the vaginal swabs of the Kathua gangrape-and-murder victim matched with that of the accused, an evidence seen as a jackpot for the investigating team of the Crime Branch of Jammu and Kashmir Police.
The Delhi lab examined 14 packets of evidence — containing vaginal swabs, hair strands, blood samples of four accused, viscera of the deceased girl, the girl’s frock and salwar, simple clay, and blood stained clay — sent to it between March 01 and 21, stated the report published in ‘The Indian Express’.
A senior FSL official according to the report said the lab tested the samples and found them positive for rape.
The lab as per report also confirmed that the DNA samples of the accused matched those collected by the police.
According to the official, the report of the tests had been submitted to the J&K Police Crime Branch on April 03, said the report.
Officials said that the vaginal swabs matched with the DNA of the accused as did some other samples, said the report.
“One of the parcels we were sent had two hair strands with roots. They were seemingly found in the temple (where the child was allegedly raped). The fact that the hair strands had roots was important, as DNA identification requires root. One of the hair strand pins the accused, while the second matched with that of the girl,” the report quoted sources in the Delhi government Home department.
According to the officials, blood stains found on the frock of the girl were also sent for forensic examination, said the report.
“The evidence on the frock was mostly destroyed as it had been washed with detergent, but a drop of blood remained. That was an incidental discovery,” the report quoted official as having said.
“In February, the day our assistance was sought, we decided to take it (the case) up within half an hour. We felt the matter was sensitive. So we took the decision in 30 minutes. FSL usually resists taking up outstation cases as they have to devote entire teams for a single case. It is already overburdened. But we took a stand that we have to take it up,” the report quoted a senior Home department official as having said.
