Kathua rape: JK cops asked to give 5-day notice to Meerut college head prior to arrest

A District and Sessions judge, hearing the case of rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua, today rejected the anticipatory bail plea of the chairman of a Meerut college and directed him to appear before police.

The head of the Meerut college, R P Singh, is alleged to have taken money from Sanji Ram, the main accused, to shield his son Vishal Jangotra, a student of the college.

However, the judge, Tejwinder Singh, asked the Jammu and Kashmir Police to give him five days' notice if he had to be arrested in the case.

Singh's name figured in the charge sheet filed by the Crime Branch of the Jammu and Kashmir Police against eight accused arrested in connection with the alleged gang-rape and murder of the nomadic girl in Kathua in January this year.

Singh was accused of taking money to mislead investigating officers about the presence of Vishal Jangotra, a student of his college, at the crime scene.

Disposing off the anticipatory bail plea of Singh, the judge pronounced since no FIR had been registered against Singh, his infructuous application held no legal ground, and asked the investigating agency to give five-day time to him if he was needed to be arrested.

He is yet to be established as an accused in case. Whenever the investigating agency establish him as an accused, five days' time be given to him, prior to his arrest, the judge noted after the public prosecutor informed the court that the investigation against him was ongoing and his involvement was being suspected in shielding one of the accused for money.

Crime Branch officials said they would soon submit a supplementary charge sheet before the court to highlight how Vishal Jangotra, with the help of university officials, attempted to create an alibi -- that he was in Meerut from January 10 to 17 and appeared for an exam on January 15.

The Crime Branch maintains that Vishal Jangotra was present in Kathua and allegedly raped the girl before leaving on January 14.

The head of the Meerut college moved the anticipatory bail application on May 31, the day the trial in the case started after being shifted from a court in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir to Pathankot in Punjab.