Picking up the pace of investigation in the custodial death of an accused Suraj in Kotkhai gangrape and murder case, the Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday asked two more members of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Himachal Pradesh police to join the CBI probe.
Following the directions of CBI, ASP Bhajan Dev Negi and DSP Ratan Negi left for Delhi on Thursday to join the investigation. The summoning of these two officers has been done just two days after 8 cops of Himachal Pradesh police, including Inspector General, Z H Zaidi, the head of SIT in Kotkhai gangrape case were arrested by CBI.
All the eight arrested cops were taken to Delhi on Wednesday. With the arrest of 8 cops, the investigation in the Kotkhai gang rape and custodial death seems to have got momentum as the premier investigation agency had to face HC’s fury for slow progress in investigation, when it filed its second status report on August 18.
After the arrest of 8 cops, the number of total arrests in Kotkhai gang rape and custodial death of the accused in case has reached 13. ASP B D Negi and DSP R Negi have been called to join investigation to establish links of the involvement of the arrested cops in the case of custodial death of Suraj on the intervening night of July 18-19.
CBI is said to have made arrests of the 8 cops, after recording statements of a witness under section 164 of CrPC before the CJM, Shimla on August 29. There are indications that the CBI may make some more arrests soon. As per sources, the call detail of a member of SIT had led to the arrest of 8 cops in the case. As per sources, CBI investigators have been waiting for the reports of forensic reports of both the criminal acts related with Kotkhai gang rape and consequent custodial death of an accused.
CBI had also sought permission of Shimla court for conducting polygraph test or narco-analysis test of the five accused including accused Ashish Chauhan and Raju, as the agency wants these tests before taking any decision about the accused arrested by the tainted cops of SIT of Himachal Pradesh police. CBI had filed two FIRs in Kotkhai gang rape and custodial death case of Suraj. While one FIR was registered under section 376, 302 and POSCO act and the other FIR under Section 302 of IPC.
After the arrest of 8 cops in custodial death matter, CBI is likely to add section 120 B against the arrested cops in the FIR.