The apex court on Friday (July 20) said that bail can’t be granted to former IGP Zahur Haidar Zaidi  (petitioner) and former Shimla SP DW Negi, both accused in the custodial death of Suraj Singh in the Kotkhai rape-murder case after being informed that CBI is yet to frame charges against the accused.

During today’s hearing, the CBI’s counsel ASG Tushar Mehta informed the bench comprising of CJI Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud that Zaidi was not cooperating in the framing of charges. And once they do it, the investigation can be proceeded with.

Mehta further informed the bench that July 24 has been fixed as the date for the framing of charges.

The next hearing has been fixed in the second week of August.

The bench was hearing the plea filed by former IGP Zahur Haidar Zaidi against the January 19 order of the Himachal Pradesh High Court dismissing his bail plea in respect of the custodial death of an accused in the 2017 case of gang-rape and murder of a minor schoolgirl in Kotkhai.

—India Legal Bureau