CBI Director Vijay Shankar today assured the J&K High Court that a “fair, speedy and effective investigation” was being conducted into the Srinagar sex abuse scandal. He said the agency would not spare the guilty nor give in to any kind of pressure.

He arrived on a special flight to attend the hearing after his personal appearance was sought by the HC which is hearing a PIL on the case, first reported by The Indian Express.

“Though the Director was scheduled to go abroad today, he deferred the visit to attend the High Court proceedings,” Assistant Solicitor General and CBI counsel Shabir A Naik told The Indian Express. “This shows the seriousness with which the CBI is taking this case,” he said.

Meanwhile, BSF DIG K S Padhi, against whom the Srinagar Chief Judicial Magistrate issued an arrest warrant yesterday, also showed up in the High Court.

Padhi was here to surrender before the High Court but was directed to give himself up at the local CBI camp office. Padhi later said he was “innocent” and that his “present situation was part of the occupational hazards associated with his job”.