‘9 Rapes in Murthal During 2016 Jat Violence’: Amicus Tells HC

The Amicus Curiae told the High Court that the case cases must be handed over to the CBI for investigation.

Women protest in Gurgaon against reports of gang rape incidents in Murthal.

(Photo: PTI)

Senior advocate Anupam Gupta, the amicus curiae in cases related to the Jat violence that erupted in 2016, told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that nine incidents of rape had taken place in Murthal during the agitation.

He also said that these alleged incidents should be handed over to the CBI, reported Times of India.

He claimed that the Haryana Police had failed to probe the matter, adding that the information regarding the incidents was shared with him by senior IAS officer Vijay Vardhan.

Vardhan reportedly told The Indian Express that he has filed an affidavit and had no such communication with the lawyer.

According to the report, the advocate alleged that the IAS officer "lacked courage" to stand by his statement.

A new bench headed by Justice AK Mittal has adjourned the matter for 6 November.

This is not the first time that Gupta has alleged that Vardhan had previously told him about the incidents of rape. In October 2016 too, he had referred to Vardhan by name. The officer, however, had denied the charge earlier as well.

The SIT, which is probing issue, has reportedly informed the HC that "nothing has been found" in relation to the alleged rapes.

(With inputs from Indian Express, TImes of India)