Early Times Report
jammu, Apr 26: Demand for handing over Kathua case to CBI gained momentum today after Bar Council of India (BCI) endorsed stand taken by J&K High Court Bar Association (JKHCBA) Jammu
Lawyers of Jammu did not obstruct justice in the Kathua rape case and their demand for a CBI investigation into the matter is justified, the Bar Council of India told the Supreme Court today. The Council said these were the conclusions of a probe team it sent to the state. The team, led by a retired High Court judge, has submitted a report that gave a clean chit to the lawyers.
The Apex court had earlier pulled up the Jammu lawyers for obstructing the legal process. On April 13, the Supreme Court took suo motu notice of the lawyers of Jammu and Kathua bar associations preventing the police from entering the court and preventing the family's lawyer from appearing in the case.
Observation of BCI is severe setback to the PDP-BJP government which had told the Apex Court on Wednesday that lawyers had obstructed legal process in this case. Interestingly BJP, being part of the government, too had endorsed this view that lawyers in Jammu had created hurdles in legal process.
It was alleged that the state's lawyers' were a part of that section and had not allowed the filing of chargesheet in the case.
Deepika Thussu, who is representing the child's family, complained that members of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association had threatened her, demanding that she does not appear in the case.
Denying her allegations, the Jammu High Court Bar Association has told the Supreme Court that her statements are contradictory.
The association also said they were being unfairly portrayed as communal in the national media. Their demand for a CBI inquiry was meant to ensure justice in the case and their protest was against the illegal presence of Rohingyas and Bangladeshi nationals in Jammu. The Supreme Court will hear the matter again on April 30. |
