New Delhi, April 16: The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Jammu & Kashmir government, seeking response to the plea filed by the Kathua victim's father demanding the transfer of case to Chandigarh from Jammu.
The petitioner claimed the pressure exerted by the Jammu Bar Association, along with local politicians, is vitiating the judicial process. In order to conclude the trail in a "free and fair manner", the case should be transferred out of Jammu, the petition noted.
The bench also ordered the state government to provide escalated security cover to the lawyer and family of the deceased eight-year-old girl. The SC order came a day after the victim's lawyer Deepika S Rajawat claimed threat to her life. "I can be raped or murdered any day. I have been warned that I 'won't be forgiven'," she said while speaking to ANI on Sunday.
Kathua alleged rape and murder case: Senior Supreme Court lawyer, Indira Jaising, appearing for the victim's father, told the Supreme Court, 'the atmosphere is not conducive for a fair trial. The atmosphere is highly polarised.'