All Kotkhai accused ‘clean’ in DNA test

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 30

The Kotkhai minor rape and murder case has taken yet another curious turn with the CBI investigation indicating that none of the six persons arrested by 

the special investigation team (SIT) of the Himachal  Pradesh Police is involved in the crime.

The DNA samples of eight persons collected initially by the police have not matched with the forensic evidence of culprits gathered from the crime scene and the victim’s body, lending credence to the allegations that the SIT deliberately arrested innocent persons to shield the culprits.

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The CBI had been banking heavily on the forensic evidence and awaiting the report of DNA samples of Ashish Chauhan (29), alias Ashu, a resident of Sharaal village in Kotkhai; Rajender Singh (32), alias Raju, driver of a pickup van from Haliala village; Subhash Singh Bisht (42) and Deepak (29), alias Deepu, both  of Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand; Lok Jung (19), alias Chotu, and Suraj Singh (29), both from Nepal; and two others under the scanner. Suraj was later killed in lockup.

Samples of human cells, including blood, semen, skin, saliva, mucus, perspiration and roots of hair, collected from the crime scene were sent for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) testing. The samples of eight suspects were also taken for matching, but the result came back negative, said sources.

“The case would have been cracked had even a single sample matched,” sources said, adding that call record details of one of the eight police officials, who were arrested yesterday in connection with the custodial death of Suraj, played a key role in nailing them.

The case may put the government in an awkward position if the CBI succeeds in exposing the alleged conspirators. With the DNA reports going against the SIT theory, the CBI may now seek nod to conduct a lie detector test on the arrested cops.