Appointment of defence lawyer for Kathua rape & murder case accused as AAG triggers row

Srinagar: The state government has appointed Defence Lawyer in the infamous Kathua rape and murder case as Additional Advocate General.
Aseem Sawhney, who is pleading the case of some of the accused at a court in Patahankot, was appointed additional Advocate General by the law department. Sawhney, who figured at serial number 7 in the list, has also served as Deputy Advocate General in Jammu Kashmir High Court, Jammu.
Sawhney is the defence counsel of some of the people, who are accused of raping and murdering an eight-year-old girl in Kathua district of the state. Eight people, including four policemen were arrested by crime branch after the shocking rape-and-murder triggered widespread outrage across Kashmir Valley.
Meanwhile, in a series of tweet, former Jammu Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti sought intervention of Governor NN Vohra. She said: “Rewarding those who defend alleged murderers & rapists is abhorrent & a shocking violation of the spirit of justice. Such a move will only serve to encourage the rape culture rampant in our society. Expect the @jandkgovernor to intervene.”
“Ironic that a day after celebrating World Day for International Justice, the defence counsel in the horrific rape & murder Kathua case has been appointed as Additional Advocate Genera,” Mehbooba Mufti tweeted.
Omar Abdullah in his tweet said that: “The decision is both inexplicable & worrisome but if the victim’s lawyer is not unduly concerned by this development the rest of us should just let her get on with the job of ensuring justice for the young victim.”
“We should not react to this. We should focus on the trial,” said Deepika Singh Rajawat, the lawyer representing the family of the nomad girl. “They (the government) comes out with nonsense every now and then to take the attention away from the trial,” Omar tweeted.