Kathua Rape- Murder Case

Supreme Court set aside order which declared one accused as juvenile: Directs to prosecute him as an Adult.

THE STATE OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR (NOW U.T. OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR) AND ORS VERSUS SHUBAM SANGRA) Crl.A. No. 1928/2022: The Supreme Court set aside the orders of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kathua and the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. The Apex Court has directed that the said accused Shubham Sangra should be tried as an adult. The case relates to the brutal gang-rape and murder of an eight year old girl in Kathua Village in 2019. Shubham Sangra was the nephew of main accused Sanji Ram, who was the caretaker of the temple where the offence took place.

It is held that the respondent accused was not a juvenile at the time of the commission of the offence and should be tried the way other co-accused were tried in accordance with law, Justice Pardiwala read out the operative portion of the order.