Crime Branch likely to challenge sentence part

“Dissatisfied” with the quantum of sentence awarded to the convicted in the horrific rape and murder of Kathua girl, the Crime Branch of Jammu & Kashmir Police is “seriously considering” the option of appeal.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, IG Crime, Ahfad-ul-Mujtaba, saidthat “if need arises” they would go for appeal against the quantum of sentenceas also the acquittal of one of the accused. “We will examine the judgment and go for appeal, if need arises,” hesaid.

   

District and Sessions Judge Pathankot Tejwinder Singh Mondayawarded life sentence to Sanji Ram, Deepak Khajuria and Parvesh Kumar afterconvicting them for murder, gang-rape and criminal conspiracy.

The other three, Anand Dutta, Tilak Raj and Surender Verma,convicted of destruction of evidence have been sentenced to five-yearimprisonment.

The seventh accused, Vishal Jangotra, who happens to beSanji Ram’s son, was acquitted by the Court.

A senior official in the Crime Branch, wishing not to benamed, said they are satisfied with the conviction part of the judgment “butnot with the quantum of sentence”.

“It was the rarest of the rare cases. We were expecting thatthe convicted would be awarded death sentence,” he said.

The IG Crime said: “The verdict has vindicated the probe carriedout by the Crime Branch. The offences committed by the accused have got provedbeyond any doubt,” he said.

The case was handed to the Crime Branch on 22 January 2018after the opposition cornered the government over “laxity” in the investigationby the Kathua police.

Subsequently, the Crime Branch had constituted a team headedby SP Naveed Peerzada. The team was working under the supervision of SSP CrimeBranch Jammu, Ramesh Kumar Jalla.

Later, the CB charge-sheeted eight persons for gang rape,murder and destruction of evidence in the case.

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