Kathua Rape Case Verdict

Why in news?

6 of the 7 men accused in the 2018 rape and murder of an 8-year-old girl in Kathua, J&K were convicted by a special court in Pathankot, Punjab.

What is the case about?

The case involves an 8-year-old girl from Kathua, J&K who was abducted, drugged, raped and killed.
Notably, the deceased is a Muslim girl and the accused are Hindus, which has made it an issue of communal politics.
The formation of a group called the Hindu Ekta Manch in support of those arrested added to this.
Also, the role played by members of the Bharatiya Janata Party, including two Ministers in the then J&K government, had added to the communal politics.
The case was thus transferred from J&K to Punjab by the Supreme Court for a fair trial.
The apex court had taken note of the hindrances to a fair trial in the jurisdictional court, especially the hostile atmosphere against the prosecution.

What is the recent verdict?

Six of the seven men accused in the case were convicted.
Three of the men got life term, and the other three got five-year imprisonment.
The court sentenced to life imprisonment -
1. the mastermind, Sanji Ram, a retired government official and priest of the temple where the crime took place
2. special police officer Deepak Khajuria
3. Ram’s nephew Parvesh Kumar
Special Police Officer (SPO) Surender Verma, head constable Tilak Raj, and sub-inspector Anand Dutta were awarded 5 years in prison for destroying evidence.
The court acquitted the seventh accused, Vishal Jangotra, son of Sanji Ram, giving him the “benefit of doubt”.
The crime branch filed the charge sheet against 8 persons, including a 'juvenile'.
The trial against the 'juvenile' is yet to begin, as his petition on determining his age is yet to be heard by the J&K High Court.

Why is the judgement significant?

The Kathua case represents a triumph of justice over communal propaganda.
The verdict and due process failed the sectarian intruders' efforts who sought to derail the investigation and trial.
They tried projecting the heinous crime against a girl belonging to the nomadic Bakerwal tribe as a plot to implicate Hindus.
It is also a triumph for the justice system, as the Pathankot district and sessions court has lived up to the faith reposed in it by the apex court.
The investigation had been fairly quick, and the charge-sheet was prepared in 2 months.
The trial lasted a year, and the verdict has been delivered within 17 months of the occurrence.
The larger takeaway is that efficient investigation, diligent prosecution and judicial sensitivity can ensure speedy justice in all cases.

Source: The Hindu