Plea to admit accused to Jammu hospital declined

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Pathankot, June 15

District and Sessions Judge Dr Tejwinder Singh, who is presiding over the hearings in the Kathua rape and murder case, on Friday declined the request of the prosecution to admit accused Parvesh Kumar to the Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu.

A few days ago, the defence counsel of Parvesh had moved an application asking the court to declare his client a juvenile following which the judge ordered his medical examination from the Jammu hospital.

Special public prosecutors Santokh Singh Basra and JK Chopra, who is also the Pathankot District Attorney, had contended that instead of letting Parvesh travel 150 km to and fro everyday to Jammu from the Kathua jail, where he is lodged, he should be shifted there for four days to get his medical examination completed.

The prosecutors had claimed that they apprehended a security threat to the accused and hence had moved an application to shift Parvesh to Jammu for the duration of his medical examination.

“Parvesh will have to travel 150 km to and fro every day. We are worried about his security keeping in view the sensitivity of the case. That is why we wanted him to be lodged in the Jammu hospital. However, the judge has declined our request,” said Chopra.

The court adjourned for vacation on Friday and will now open on July 2.

The judge refused to pass directions on the defence counsel’s plea of staying the proceedings till the status of Parvesh was made clear.

The judge instead postponed his decision to July 2.

The cross-examination of prosecution witness Rajinder Kumar was completed. Rajinder is a head constable with the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) of the J&K crime branch.

The examination-in-chief and cross-examination of two witnesses — Rajinder Kumar and head constable Sham Lal — have now been completed.

Meanwhile, IG (Border) Surinder Pal Singh Parmar confirmed that he held a meeting on Friday with senior officers following a verbal request made by the judge through Pathankot SSP Vivek Sheel Soni to enhance his security.

“We held a security review meeting on Friday and will be forwarding our recommendations to the ADGP (Security) in due course of time,” said Parmar. The IG, however, refused to disclose the recommendations.