Ishfaq Tantry
Srinagar, Nov 19: The Jaleel Andrabi murder case took a new turn on Thursday when the family members of the slain human rights activist submitted an application before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar stating that the case needs to be probed further as Indian Army officer, Major Avtar Singh was not the only accused in the case. The CJM subsequently directed the public prosecutor to submit objections by December 11, the next date of hearing.
During the previous hearing, the CBI had informed the court about the steps taken to execute the Interpol warrant against the prime accused Major Avtar. On Thursday when the case came up for hearing before CJM, Muhammad Ibrahim, Jaleel’s brother, Arshad Andrabi submitted an application pleading to probe other aspects of the case too. In the application, it has been submitted that Major Avtar, who has been declared an absconder in the case is not the only accused. That there were other persons from the police and army who assisted Avtar when he picked up Jaleel and later on killed him in custody.
In the application, the CJM has been requested to get the other aspects of the case investigated so that other accused are also brought to justice.
The FIR in the custodial killing case is 13 years old and the case is pending in the Court of CJM for the last more than 8 years.
The delay in the disposal of the case is mainly due to non-arrest of the main accused.
The CJM Court has so for issued repeated warrants against Avtar. He has even been declared “absconding” by the CJM Srinagar and a non-bailable warrant has been issued against him. Besides, the CJM has asked IG Crime Kashmir to take up the execution of Interpol warrant against the prime accused, who has been reportedly living in Canada on an Indian passport.
[Rising Kashmir]
Posted on 20 Nov 2009 by
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