Kathua case: Chief investigator regrets Vishal’s release on benefit of doubt

It was like looking for a needle in a haystack till an unusual sweat on Sanji Ram’s face on a chilly January morning hinted he was hiding something, recalls R K Jalla – the chief investigator in the rape and murder case of an 8-year old girl in Kathua.

Sanji Ram, along with two others, were convicted for life oncharges of rape and murder of an 8-year-old girl in Kathua by a sessions courtin Pathankot on Monday. Retired from service barely three months ago, Jalla washanded the case that was given to the Crime Branch of Jammu and Kashmir Policeon 27 January 2018.

   

One of the most decorated Jammu and Kashmir police officers,Jalla spoke to PTI, recounting the challenges his team faced.

“After having investigated the crime scene, we went tomeet Sanji Ram (one of the main accused in the case). As I and my team startedenquiring about his family members including his arrested juvenile nephew, Iasked about his son Vishal. Sanji Ram immediately conveyed to me in a boastfulvoice that his son was studying in Meerut and I can go and check from his CDR(Call Data Record). I started wondering about two things — why is he insistingthat I should go and check Vishal’s call records and second, why the hell is hesweating  on a chilly morning of January,”the 60-year-old Jalla recalled.

The sessions court in Pathankot on Monday sentenced SanjiRam, Deepak Khajuria and Parwesh Kumar to life and the three dismissedpolicemen – Anand Dutta, Tikal Raj and Surinder Singh – to five years in jail.Vishal, son of Sanji Ram, was acquitted by the court.

Jalla’s only regret in the case was Vishal’s release onbenefit of doubt. “I can only hope that an appeal is filed challenging theacquittal,” he said. Jalla said Sanji Ram made every attempt to save hisson from this case. “I can only hope that the evidence collected by theCrime Branch during a painstaking investigation is appreciated by HighCourt,” he said.

Inspector General (Crime)  Ahfadul Mujtaba had already said on Monday that they would file an appeal against the acquittal of Vishal.

The case had assumed political dimensions with at least twoformer BJP leaders Lal Singh and Ganga Singh joining a protest march in Marchlast year during which a demand for release of Sanji Ram and others was made.

The case saw straining of ties between PDP and BJP alliancegovernment but as investigators in the case, Jalla said he “had receivednot a single call from any of the BJP leaders”.

“There was no political pressure whatsoever on me or myteam and we were doing our job with complete dedication and honesty,” headded.

Jalla was part of the first batch of police officers thatjoined Special operations group – an anti-militancy crack forces formed inearly 1990s.

He retired on 31 March this year as Senior Superintendent ofPolice (Crime Branch).

The officer’s role was appreciated by the prosecution teamcomprising S S Basra, J K Chopra, Bhupinder Singh and Harminder Singh, who saidJalla had laid a strong foundation for the case that ensured defence witnesseswere on the back foot.

J K Chopra, who led the prosecution team along with Basra,said Jalla’s dedication saw many of defence witnesses backtrack after evidence,be it technical or physical, were produced in the court.

However, Jalla said it was never a one-man-show. “It isabsolutely a wonderful team work where prosecution and investigators werealways on the same page. It may be for the first time that the prosecution hasnot sought a single adjournment in the case,” he said.The officer, with a smile, also added that thiscase made him revisit all that had been taught to him during training at thepolice academy.

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