Seema Pahuja, a CBI officer with vast experience, has taken up the charge of investigating the recent rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata. Pahuja known for her handling of high-profile and complex cases is currently serving as an Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) at the Chandigarh office of CBI.
Pahuja, 57, has made substantial contributions to numerous landmark cases, establishing a reputation for thoroughness and precision. Among her most famous successes is her leadership in the 2017 Kotkhai rape and murder case, also known as the “Gudiya case.” This case featured the violent rape and murder of a Class X student whose body was recovered in the jungles of Kotkhai, Himachal Pradesh, after she went missing while on her way home from school. Despite initial defeats by the local police, the CBI, under Pahuja’s supervision, cracked the case utilising advanced DNA profiling methods such as percentage and lineage matching, resulting in the identification and conviction of the offender, Anil Kumar. After nearly a year on the run, Kumar was apprehended, and in 2021, he was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Pahuja’s expertise was also pivotal in the investigations of other major cases, including the 2020 Hathras gangrape and the 2017 Unnao rape cases, where her role was crucial in bringing justice to the victims and ensuring the culprits were held accountable.
Pahuja received the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Services in appreciation of her outstanding service, which demonstrates her devotion and expertise in law enforcement.
As she takes on the delicate Kolkata case, Pahuja’s skills and devotion to justice are likely to play an important role in revealing the truth. Since this crime is serious and Pahuja has achieved justice in some of the hardest cases from India, therefore it is being watched carefully by the investigators. Nevertheless, under her strong leadership, it is expected that the Kolkata case investigation will be more prompt and detailed so that CBI guarantees justice for even another most appalling case against women.
