Shimla, Aug 3: The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Wednesday directed the CBI to file a fresh status report in the Kotkhai Gudia rape and murder case within two weeks. It also sought fresh report in a custodial death case. Earlier in the day, the CBI submitted an status report in both the cases, in a sealed cover, in the court as per its the July 19 direction.
Following which, a division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Sandeep Sharma ordered the central probe agency to submit the fresh status report and posted the matter for hearing on August 17. The CBI urged the court to give it three months time to complete the probe but Advocate General Shrawan Dogra opposed its plea and said that the case was sensitive and there was a lot of public pressure.
The high court had directed the CBI to take up investigation of both the cases on July 19 and also directed it to submit the status report by today. Meanwhile, the CBI has deputed an IG rank officer to supervise and guide the investigations in the twin cases.
A Class 10 student was raped and murdered at the Kotkhai area of Shimla district on July 4 after she took a lift in a vehicle driven by one of the accused. Her body was recovered from the nearby Halila forest two days later. Six persons were arrested in connection with the case, of which one died in the police custody.
Source Indian Express
