Kathua case: Deepika Singh Rajawat dropped as lawyer by victim’s family

NEW DELHI: Accusing attorney Deepika Singh Rajawat of taking up the case only for publicity, the family of the rape victim on Wednesday, 14 November, has dropped her as lawyer in the Kathua rape and murder case.

According to media reports, the family of the eight-year-old victim alleged that she seldom appeared for the hearings, claiming a threat to her life as an excuse.

Yusuf, the victim’s father, filed an application in the Pathankot trial court that read: “Keeping in view her apprehension and non-appearance in this case… I hereby withdraw my power of attorney issued to Deepika Singh Rajawat and now she is not my advocate.”

“Deepika has appeared only two to three times in the hearings in the court in last five months. She says she has a threat to her life and keeping in view her apprehensions and non-appearance in the cases, I withdraw my power of attorney issued to her and henceforth she is not my advocate in the case,” reads the application.

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Reacting on the issue, Deepika said they had dropped her from the case under the influence of some lawyers which was unfortunate.

“I could not have appeared in each and every hearing in Pathankot as I was busy in other cases in Jammu also. I have not taken any money from anybody.”

“I had to shift my office in Jammu because of this case. It had also affected studies of my daughter,” she said. “I got publicity and awards because I sincerely fought the case. Now, people are feeling jealous and some lawyers conspired to get me dropped as a lawyer from the case.”

Rajawat took to Twitter saying, “I was there with them when no one was. Now since the rainy days have passed, they are winding up with me just because I could not regularly attend the trial which is taken care of by senior criminal lawyers.
I don’t blame them. it is the human tendency which travels in genes.”

The minor girl’s body was recovered from Rassana forest in Kathua district on January 17, a week after she went missing while grazing horses in the forest area.

The girl belonging to the Bakarwal Muslim family was held captive inside a temple, and was sedated before being repeatedly raped and murdered. Police have filed a charge sheet against eight persons in the case.

The seven accused are 60-year-old Sanji Ram, Special Police Officers Deepak Khajuria and Surender Verma, Sub-Inspector Anand Dutta, Head Constable Tilak Raj, civilian Parvesh Kumar and Sanji’s minor son Vishala.