Kathua rape case transferred to Pathankot for fair trail

New Delhi, May 07: The Supreme Court on Monday transferred to Pathankot the trial of the brutal rape and murder of an eight-year-old nomadic girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua because "fear and fair trial can't exist together".

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice Indu Malhotra also ordered in-camera and day-to-day trial in the case that has caused global outrage.

The court said an in-camera trial was being ordered to ensure that witnesses feel protected and the accused feel safe. The top court said it would monitor the case and its trial from time to time and posted the matter for next hearing on July 9.

"Fair trial is sacrosanct principle under Article 21 (right to life) of the Constitution," the Supreme Court observed in the order transferring the case to Pathankot, which is 25 km away from Kathua across the border with Punjab.