The Central Bureau of Investigation said on Thursday it had “strong evidence” against the accused in the Kotkhai rape and murder case, which it will present in the Himachal Pradesh High Court when it hears the matter next, PTI reported. The investigating agency made the claim in a status report filed in the court.

The next hearing is on April 25 when the CBI has to file a fresh status report.

On Wednesday, the High Court had asked CBI Director Alok Kumar Verma to be present at the next hearing on April 18. However, the bench amended the order on Thursday, and said Verma would need to appear before the court on May 9 if the status report that the CBI submits on April 25 is not satisfactory.

Advertisement

The court had on Wednesday pulled up the CBI for not making much progress in the case. “Are we to understand that CBI officers are not competent enough to unearth the crime of such nature within eight months?” the court had asked.

Six men had allegedly raped and murdered a 16-year-old schoolgirl in Shimla district’s Kotkhai town on July 4, 2017. The police had arrested the accused – four Nepalese and two men from Uttarakhand – after 10 days of the crime. The case was soon handed over to the CBI.

On January 10, the CBI filed an affidavit and a status report on the case, in which it had accused the government of Himachal Pradesh of not cooperating in the investigation. The agency has already filed a chargesheet against nine accused in the case.

Advertisement

Suraj Singh, one of the Nepalese, was found dead in custody at the Kotkhai Police Station on July 18. In December, the CBI had cleared one of the other accused of killing Singh in jail.

The 16-year-old’s rape and murder had triggered violent protests in Himachal Pradesh. Agitators had thrown stones, burnt vehicles and attempted to set the Kotkhai Police Station ablaze before attacking police officers. Shops, schools and business establishments were shut in protest against the gangrape and the custodial death.