Supreme Court takes suo motu cognisance of Kathua rape case

Taking noticeof the lawyers who obstructed the counsel of eight-year-old rape victim, the apex court has sent a notice to the Bar Council of the Jammu and Kashmir for hampering the filing of the charge sheet against the accused involved in the case.

A group of Supreme Court lawyers had earlier requested a bench of judges to take suomotucognisance of the brutal killing of the eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua. The bench included Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud.

The apex court also sought a response from the bar association in connection with the obstruction of the judical proceedings in the rape case. The association has to submit the response by April 19.

On Monday a group of lawyers from one community prohibited the crime branch of the state police from registering a charge sheet against the accused in the rape and murder of the eight-year-old.

An eight-year-old child was allegedlygang-raped by six men who held her in captive in a small templefor several days in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua.The accused drugged her and repeatedly gang-rapedher for days before finally killingher with a rock.