Shimla: A CBI court in Chandigarh on Monday sentenced eight police officers to life imprisonment in the case of killing of an accused in police custody during the investigation of the much-talked-about Gudiya rape-murder case of Himachal Pradesh.
The court had convicted these officers in this case on January 18. Today, the court has sentenced the then Himachal IG Zahoor H Zaidi, the then Theog DSP Manoj Joshi, SI Rajinder Singh, ASI Deep Chand Sharma, Honorary Head Constable Mohan Lal and Surat Singh, Head Constable Rafi Mohammad and Constable Ranit to life imprisonment.
The court had acquitted the then SP of Shimla DW Negi due to lack of evidence. The CBI court has also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on all the accused. Earlier this morning, the court had heard the appeal of all the accused and asked to pronounce the verdict after 4 pm.
The government handed over the investigation to CBI, 20 injury marks were found on the body of the deceased
People protested over the death in police custody. After which the government handed over the investigation to CBI. The CBI investigation revealed that Sooraj died due to police torture during interrogation. On this basis, CBI registered a case against IG Zaidi and 9 other police officers and employees related to the case under section 302 of murder, sections for destruction of evidence and many other serious sections. More than 20 injury marks were found on Sooraj’s body. The report of the board of doctors of AIIMS confirmed that Sooraj was tortured.