THE TRIAL OF THESE CASES WAS EARLIER TRANSFERRED FROM THE COURT OF LD. SPL JUDGE CBI SHIMLA TO THE COURT OF LD. SPECIAL JUDGE CBI, CHANDIGARH BY THE HON'BLE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA.
Face2News/Chandigarh
The Ld. Special Judge for CBI case, Chandigarh on Saturday convicted eight accused persons for murder of accused in Police Custody.
The Court of Ms. Alka Malik, Ld.Spl. Judge for CBI cases, Chandigarh pronouncing the judgment, convicted accused persons namely (i) Z. H. Zaidi, the then IGP SR Shimla, (ii) Manoj Joshi the then Dy.SP Theog, Shimla, (iii) Rajinder Singh, the then SI/SHO P S Kotkhai, (iv) Deep Chand, the then ASI, PS Kotkhai, (v) Mohan Lal, the then Head Constable (HC), (vi) Surat Singh, the then HC, (vii) Rafee Mohammad, the then HC, and (viii) Ranjeet Steta, then Constable, all under Section 120B, 302, 330,348,218,195,196,201 IPC. Quantum of Sentence will be pronounced on 27.01.2025.
The Court of Ms. Alka Malik, Ld.Spl. Judge for CBI cases, Chandigarh pronouncing the judgment, convicted accused persons namely (i) Z. H. Zaidi, the then IGP SR Shimla, (ii) Manoj Joshi the then Dy.SP Theog, Shimla, (iii) Rajinder Singh, the then SI/SHO P S Kotkhai, (iv) Deep Chand, the then ASI, PS Kotkhai, (v) Mohan Lal, the then Head Constable (HC), (vi) Surat Singh, the then HC, (vii) Rafee Mohammad, the then HC, and (viii) Ranjeet Steta, then Constable, all under Section 120B, 302, 330,348,218,195,196,201 IPC. Quantum of Sentence will be pronounced on 27.01.2025.
An FIR was registered by Himachal Pradesh Police at P.S Kotkhai, Shimla in connection with rape and murder of a minor girl Gudiya (imaginary name), whose dead body was found in the Hailaila forest, Shimla on 06.07.2017.
An SIT headed by Z. H. Zaidi, the then IGP (SR) Shimla was formed for investigation of this case and six persons were arrested by SIT in the case. Out of six persons, one person Suraj died in police custody of Himachal Pradesh police due to custodial torture. However accused police officials/officers registered an FIR at P.S Kotkhai U/S 302 IPC against another arrested person Rajinder @ Raju for murder of his co accused Suraj.
This case was also transferred to CBI for investigation along with the FIR of Gudiya case on the Orders of Hon'ble High Court of Himachal Pradesh Shimla and the investigation of these two cases was accordingly taken over by CBI by both the cases.
In Gudiya Rape and Murder Case, sole accused Anil @Nilu was arrested and charge-sheeted by CBI. Accused Anil was convicted and sentenced for life imprisonment by the Ld.Trial Court.
In the case relating to custodial death of Suraj, CBI charge-sheeted accused police officers/officials of Himachal Pradesh police(including those convicted by the Court today), after thorough investigation for criminal conspiracy, murder, fabrication of false evidence, destruction of evidence, torture in police custody for extracting confession, preparation of false record etc.
All the persons including Suraj arrested by SIT of Himachal Pradesh police were found to be innocent by CBI. The findings of CBI were upheld by the Ld. Trial Court, Shimla and were found to be falsely implicated by SIT. The Court accordingly exonerated them.
The trial of these cases was earlier transferred from the Court of Ld. Spl judge CBI Shimla to the Court of Ld. Special Judge CBI, Chandigarh by the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India.