Synopsis: The parole plea of Sanji Ram, a convict in the January 2018 gang rape and murder case of an eight year old girl in Kathua, was dismissed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
The High Court of Punjab and Haryana refused to offer parole to Sanji Ram, who is accused of masterminding the Kathua gangrape case.
The prosecution had argued that the release of Ram would raise community tensions in the area.
The Bench of Justices Dr S. Muralidhar and Avneesh Jhingan stated, while terming the concern raised a genuine apprehension.
Sanji Ram went to the High Court to seek leave to visit his village for his son’s wedding.
In 2018, after raping an 8 year old Bhakerwal girl, Sanji Ram was convicted of murder, along with Parvesh Kumar and a police officer. In Kathua district, the minor was raped in a small village temple and then the boy was bludgeoned to death.
Ram was the caretaker of the temple where the girl was raped.
The case was moved to Punjab from Pathankot in Jammu and Kashmir, according to a Supreme Court order. In Jammu and Kashmir, the Bhakerwals are a pastoral community.
The Senior Superintendent of the Police, Crime Branch in Jammu submitted a report to the Court in proceedings before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, arguing that the family of the minor had descended to the village from the higher reaches.
The Prosecution stressed that if Ram was permitted to return to the village, there was every apprehension of community clashes and protests in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir.
Accepting the position of the prosecution, the appeal for parole was dismissed.