Supreme Court to hear Kathua witnesses’ plea alleging police harassment on May 16

Kathua rape, murder case: The witnesses’ petition alleges that the police were asking them to re-appear and re-record their statements, and exerting pressure on their families.

The Supreme Court will hear the plea of three witnesses in the Kathua gangrape and murder case, alleging that they are being harassed by the state police, on May 16.

A police vehicle transports the accused men in connection with the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl, to a court in Kathua, Jammu. (Reuters File Photo)

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud agreed on Monday to hear on May 16 the plea of Sahil Sharma and two others, who are college friends of the juvenile accused in the case.

According to their plea, they had already recorded their statements before the police and the magistrate.

The three witnesses had in their statement before the magistrate said they gave their statement to the police under coercion.

The petition on Monday alleged that the state police was now asking them to re-appear and re-record their statements and exerting pressure on their families.

The apex court had on May 7 transferred the trial in the sensational Kathua gangrape and murder case of an eight-year-old girl from Jammu and Kashmir to Pathankot in Punjab, but refrained from handing over the probe to CBI saying there was no need as the investigation has been conducted and the chargesheet filed.

The state police has filed the main chargesheet against seven persons and a separate chargesheet against a juvenile in a court in Kathua district.