CBI moves court for IGP Zaidi’s bail cancellation

sDushyant Pundir

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 20

The CBI today filed an application in the Special CBI Court for cancellation of bail of Zahur Haider Zaidi, IGP, Himachal Pradesh, in the Kotkhai custodial death case.

On July 4, 2017, a schoolgirl was raped and murdered at Kotkhai in Shimla district. One of the suspects, Suraj Singh, was found dead in custody at the Kotkhai police station on July 18, 2017. Zaidi and seven other police officials are facing trial in the custodial death of Suraj. Zaidi, SP DW Negi, Theog DSP Manoj Joshi had been granted bail in the case, whereas other accused are still in the jail.

In the application, the CBI mentioned that Zaidi was granted bail by the Supreme Court on April 5, 2019, on the condition that he would not temper with prosecution evidence and influence/intimate prosecution witnesses.

The CBI submitted that Soumya Sambasivan, then SP, Shimla, who was summoned by the court as prosecution witness on January 8, 2020, before her deposition, filed an application before the court mentioning that Zaidi had tried to influence and pressure her to change her statement in the court. She had also submitted screenshots of mobile phone calls and other documents in support of her statement.

“The application, filed by the SP, reveals that there is clear violation of condition of bail by accused Zaidi, who may adversely affect the trial of the case,” stated the CBI.

The CBI mentioned that the important witnesses in the case were yet to be examined which included police officials who were lower in rank as constable and head constable, and other witnesses.

“The testimonies of prosecution witnesses (still to be examined) are very material to the prosecution case and keeping in view the conduct of the accused, there is strong apprehension that the accused may certainly try to contact and influence/intimidate them so as to dissuade them from deposing against the accused persons in the court which will adversely affect the prosecution case,” submit the CBI in the application.

“There is apprehension that he may also abscond. The grounds mentioned above are sufficient to cancel the bail of the accused as per provision of law,” submitted the CBI. The court issued notice to the accused for January 24.