CBI gets two weeks for Kotkhai rape-murder probe
CHANDIGARH: THE Himachal Pradesh High Court on Wednesday gave the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) two weeks to complete investigating the rape and murder of a 16-year-old school girl from Kotkhai. The CBI initially sought three months but the division Bench comprising chief justice Sanjay Karol and justice Sandeep Sharma directed it to submit the final report in two weeks as the next date of hearing is August 17.
The apex agency today submitted its preliminary report in a sealed cover to the court. The High Court, which has taken cognisance of the case on July 19 directed the CBI to constitute a three-member special investigation team, headed by a superintendent of police level officer to probe the case within two days. The state government had also urged the apex agency to take over the investigation from the state police.
The CBI had registered two cases in this regard and formed three teams. One team has spoken to family members of the alleged accused Suraj Singh who died in police custody.
The team questioned the victim’s maternal uncle and some other persons and also met the girl’s parents. They also spoke to the doctors who had carried out the first autopsy of Suraj Singh. This incident led to massive protests in the state with the victim’s kin alleging that the real culprits who belong to high-profile families, have gotten away scot free.