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Jammu rape-murder case: Ex-revenue official surrenders after son’s arrest in Meerut
Sanji Ram, who is said to be linked with the Hindu Ekta Manch, allegedly “motivated” special police officer Deepak Khajuria to kidnap, rape and murder an eight-year-old girl with the intention of driving out nomadic families of Muslim origin from Jammu’s Rasana village.
A former revenue official accused in the rape-cum-murder case of a minor surrendered on Tuesday, a day after his son was arrested in Meerut.
Director general of police SP Vaid said the former bureaucrat, 60-year-old Sanji Ram, was being questioned in connection with the case.
Ram, who is said to be linked with the Hindu Ekta Manch, allegedly “motivated” special police officer Deepak Khajuria to kidnap, rape and murder the eight-year-old victim with the intention of driving out nomadic families of Muslim origin from Jammu’s Rasana village. The girl was kidnapped on January 10, after which she was allegedly drugged and raped. Her mutilated body was recovered on January 17.
Four people, including two special police officers, have already been arrested in the case.
All the allegations levelled against the duo were denied by Ram’s wife. “My son is pursuing his studies in Meerut. I have no clue why they arrested him,” she said.
She went on to allege that police have misbehaved with her as well as other members of their family. “Why is this government not ordering a CBI probe? Why has it shut its eyes to the needs of the poor?” she asked in an interaction with mediapersons.
The Hindu Ekta Manch, an NGO backed by the BJP, has been demanding a CBI investigation into the incident. Others backing the demand are BJP ministers Chander Prakash Ganga and Lal Singh, besides minister of state in the PMO Jitendra Singh.
However, chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had rejected the demand in March – stating that the crime branch has already completed “over 95%” of the investigation.
Besides the special police officers, a sub-inspector and a head constable have also been held on charges of tampering with evidence.
