Parents of the eight-year-old nomad girl, who was raped and murdered in Jammu's Kathua, are anguished that while their relentless call for the further enhancement of sentence against the six individuals still remains unheard, two of the convicts have been released on bail in the case which was described by a court as a "devilish and monstrous crime".
The man who had adopted the eight-year-old girl, Mohammed Yusuf and the victim's biological father, Mohammed Akthar, stated that they had heard that two of the offenders — head constable Tilak Raj and former sub-inspector Anand Dutta — had been let go on bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which had earlier suspended their sentences pending an appeal.
Appeal For Justice
"I am surprised that two accused have been left on bail. I wonder whether poor people like us will ever be heard. Our appeal for enhancement of sentence is still pending while their appeal has been addressed. I hope the Supreme Court looks into the matter and takes some action as no one is hearing our petition," Akthar was quoted as saying by News18.
Furthermore, Yusuf also stated that their efforts were being made to weaken the case to the point that all the offenders were out. He further added that when these accused are released on bail, he fears that one day, he will be booked under some flippant charge and put behind bars as all of them are very "powerful people".
Yusuf also alleged that there are already existing rumours that the case was heading towards re-investigation by the CBI and all the offenders will be out on bail.
Heinous Crime Case In 2018
The above-mentioned case had triggered a massive nationwide outrage after the eight-year-old girl was found murdered, back on January 17, 2018. After the preliminary hurdles, the case was then assigned to the crime branch on January 27 in the same year which revealed that the conspiracy behind the odious crime where the 8-year-old kid was kidnapped and raped brutally for around four days before she was killed in a brutish style.
In 2018, the Supreme Court had ordered the case to be shifted out of Jammu and Kashmir and had instructed that the sessions court in Pathankot hear it on a daily basis. In April, a 15-page charge sheet was filed that stated that the victim girl was kidnapped on January 10 that year and was brutally raped in a small village temple in captivity. After keeping the kid sedated for four days, she was then bludgeoned to death, it said. The Jammu and Kashmir Police Crime Branch had also filed the charge sheet against eight individuals, including a juvenile as well. However, the trial against the juvenile is yet to get underway after a petition on determining his age is still to be heard by the apex court.
Also Read: Haryana Passes Bill To Lower Minimum Age For Drinking To 21 Years From 25