Kathua (J&K):  The eight people, including Sanji Ram, accused of raping and killing an eight-year-old girl here today pleaded not guilty and asked the district and sessions judge for a narco test. According to news agency PTI, as the trial in the case began here, the district and sessions judge asked the state Crime Branch to give copies of the chargesheet to the accused and fixed April 28 as the next date of hearing. Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra has set 2pm as the time for hearing two separate petitions including the one filed by Kathua-based lawyer Deepika Singh Rajawat, representing the family of the girl, alleging that she was facing death threats for pursuing the matter.


LIVE Updates: 

  • The family of the eight-year-old girl has requested the Supreme Court today to transfer the trial outside Jammu citing security fears. Certain media reports say her father wants the case to be shifted to Chandigarh.





  • Daughter of accused Sanji Ram alleges conspiracy, demands CBI probe.




The brutal rape and killing of the 8-year-old girl has become a national issue. She belonged to the nomadic Bakerwal Muslim community.

On January 10, the girl had disappeared from a spot near her house and a week later, her body was found in the same area.  The gory details of the crime were revealed in a police chargesheet last week sparking national outrage. Protests are being held in various parts of the country demanding capital punishment for the guilty.

Commenting on Kathua rape case, Union Minister of Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) Prakash Javadekar said that "We took action against those in question."

"Our two ministers resigned. Congress state chief Ghulam Mir said the same so why no action against him?" questioned Javadekar on Sunday.

"He should apologize to the nation," minister further demanded.

 Image: ANI

It may be recalled that two BJP ministers submitted their resignations to the party's state president Sat Sharma on Friday. They were at the centre of a storm over their participation in a rally in support of the accused in the Kathua rape and murder case.

After resignation while commenting on the case, BJP leader Lal Singh said that those responsible for rape and murder of an 8-year-old should be nabbed. He, on Saturday, defended his participation in a rally supporting the accused, saying that it was meant to defuse the situation and restore normalcy.