Kathua rape victim’s family lawyer, Deepika Singh Rajawat, issued a clarification on Wednesday, 18 April over her connection with JNU as alleged in a show on ZEE TV.
I categorically deny that I have ever set foot in JNU. The statement is false to the knowledge of Mr Bhatti and is calculated to malign me.Deepika Rajawat
Editor-in-chief of ZEE News, Sudhir Chaudhary, in his show DNA talked about his interview with Jammu activist Waqar Bhatti who said that Rajawat made “defamatory comments against Hindu community”. Further stressing on Bhatti’s point, Sudhir Chaudhary showed a picture of Deepika Rajawat and JNU activist Shehla Rashid, reportedly doing the rounds on social media.
Bhatti, on Tuesday 17 April, alleged on a Zee TV show that millions of rupees are being donated in the name of the victim’s family although none of it is reaching them. In context of his statements, Rajawat clearly denounced any speculation about accepting money for legally defending the Kathua victim.
When read in the context of the reference to me, there’s an innuendo that I could have received money. I wish to make it clear that I have not accepted any money from any source for my legal representation in defence of the Kathua victim. My entire legal team — including Mr Sunil Fernandes, Advocate-on-Record, Ms Indira Jaising, Senior Counsel, and Lawyers Collective in Delhi — has provided legal services pro bono, and has made a clear declaration that they are providing legal services free of charge.Deepika Rajawat
In her letter, Rajawat also drew attention to a fake Twitter account by the name “Deepika Singh” with the Twitter handle @DeepikaSRajawat with Kathua rape victim’s picture as the banner.
She said, “I wish to give notice that the said account has been hacked in order to reactivate it, and I am hereby lodging a complaint with the Cyber Cell of Delhi Police, with reference to the said hacking. Although the said Twitter account was created by me some years ago, it has not been operated by me since then at all. ALL the tweets that appear on the said account (@DeepikaSRajawat) at present have not been put out by me and I request you not to be misled into believing that I have posted the tweets.”
Expressing gratitude to her supporters, she said in the letter, “Crime has no religion. Similarly, justice is blind to caste, community and religion. I have full faith in the judiciary of this country, and I am sure that justice will be done. I am not deterred by the fake and false propaganda spread against me and I will continue to do my professional duty without fear or favour.”
Rajawat, had earlier told The Quint that she was threatened by BS Slathia, head of the Jammu High Court Bar Association. She was also a victim of intimidation with all the threats and trolling on social media for defending the eight-year-old Bakarwali girl who was raped and bludgeoned to death in Kathua district in Jammu in January.
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