Himachal Pradesh, January 28:
In a significant verdict, a special CBI court in Chandigarh sentenced eight police personnel, including Inspector General Zahur Haider Zaidi, to life imprisonment in connection with the custodial death of Suraj Singh, a key suspect in the infamous Gudiya rape and murder case of 2017 in Kotkhai, Shimla.
The court held the entire Special Investigation Team (SIT) responsible for fabricating evidence and using third-degree methods during interrogation. Suraj, a Nepalese-origin laborer, was allegedly tortured in custody, leading to his death in the lockup.
Forced Confession Unveiled in Narco Test
The police had initially detained Deepak alias Deepu as a suspect, who later confessed under alleged duress. A narco-analysis test revealed that the confession was coerced through physical torture. Medical examinations of two witnesses conducted on July 25, 2017, confirmed that they had injuries dating back 7–10 days, substantiating claims of police brutality.
Suraj’s wife, Mamta Devi, also testified, stating that her husband was tortured during custody, which ultimately led to his death.
Strong Evidence Led to Conviction
The case saw a total of 52 prosecution witnesses and 198 pieces of evidence presented against the accused. The CBI filed three charge sheets against the SIT members on July 22, 2017, November 25, 2017, February 10, 2018, and December 31, 2019. Charges were framed on March 26, 2019, and evidence submission began on July 1, 2019.
Seven and a half years after the incident, on January 27, 2025, the court found all eight police officials guilty and sentenced them to life imprisonment.
The Gudiya Rape and Murder Case
On July 4, 2017, a 16-year-old girl went missing in Kotkhai, Shimla. Days later, her naked body was discovered in the Tandi forest, sparking outrage across Himachal Pradesh. The case, handled by the SIT led by IG Zahur Haider Zaidi, initially identified seven suspects, including Suraj.
While in police custody, Suraj died in the Kotkhai lockup due to alleged custodial torture. Public anger and demands for justice prompted the transfer of the case to the CBI.
Charges Against the SIT
The CBI registered cases under IPC Sections 302 (murder), 330 (voluntarily causing hurt to extort confession), 331, 348, 323, 326, 218, 195, 196, 201, and 210B against IG Zahur Haider Zaidi, DSP Manoj Joshi, Sub-Inspector Rajinder Singh, ASI Deep Chand Sharma, head constables Mohan Lal, Surat Singh, Rafi Mohammad, and constable Raneet Sateeta.
The investigation revealed that Suraj’s death resulted directly from custodial torture inflicted by the police.
This judgment marks a crucial step in ensuring accountability and justice in cases of custodial violence, bringing closure to a case that shook the state of Himachal Pradesh.
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