Saturday, August 16, 2014 Ganderbal fake encounter case Court issues warrants against SSP Jammu SRINAGAR, Aug 14: A city court here has issued bailable warrant against Senior Superintendent of Police Jammu Uttam Chand who had headed a Special Investigation Team to probe Abdul Rehman Padroo fake encounter killing in 2007. Padroo, a carpenter, was dubbed as Lashkar militant Abu Zahid after the fake encounter by the seven accused including the former SSP Ganderbal Hans Raj Parihar. The Principal Sessions Judge Srinagar, Rashid Ali Dar has issued the warrant, seeking presence of Chand on August 29. The warrant was issued after counsel for one of the accused, Farooq Ahmad Gudoo, submitted that the prosecution witness was taking casual approach towards the process issued by the court and was liable for proceedings under section 94 of the J&K’s constitution. As the case came up for hearing, CPO Srinagar moved an application before the court, seeking adjournment on the ground that police officer was busy with the arrangements of August 15. The court has already recorded statements of 84 witnesses produced by the prosecution in the case so far and the cross examination of only three investigating officers—Uttam Chand, Shujja Ahmad latoo and Muhammad Asgar Bhat— is to be recorded by it. It may be recalled that on November 15, 2012, while terming Padroo fake encounter case, as ‘rarest of the rare’, Uttam Chand, the then SSP Budgam had prayed for death sentence to seven accused including former Parihar. Chand, who headed the SIT in 2007 had deposed before the Principal District and Session’s court Srinagar that the evidence gathered by him showed the involvement of seven accused including the then SSP Parihar, DySP Bahadur Ram, ASI Farooq Gudoo, driver Farooq Ahmad Padder, Manzoor Ahmad Malik and Constable Bansi Lal had hatched a criminal conspiracy and were involved in killing of Padroo a carpenter from Larnoo Kokernag. Chand had also submitted a written copy of his statement before the court. As Ganderbal fake encounter surfaced in 2007, a SIT was constituted by the state government to investigate the matter. As soon the investigations proceeded, it came to fore that civilians were lured for jobs and were allegedly killed in cold blood. Abdul Rehman Padaroo a carpenter who disappeared on December 8, 2006 was one among the victims of such an encounter which took place in Ganderbal. The SIT had exhumed Padroo’s body in Sumbal area of Baramulla district. The victim carpenter had went missing from Batmaloo bus stand on December 8, reportedly after he was taken to Waskoora inGanderbal district during the night where he was killed allegedly in afake encounter by the Special Operation Group (SOG) posted in Ganderbal and Sumbal camps. A body with mutilated face was later recovered from the spot whom the SOG had dubbed as Abu Hafiz besides claiming recovery of some ammunition from the encounter site, police had said. After the racket got cracked by the police, the DNA taken from the body of Padroo matched with that of his relatives in Larnoo Kokernag, confirming that the gunned down ‘foreign militant’ was not from Pakistan but an abducted carpenter. The DNA samples were taken from Padroo’s molar tooth, sternum and finger nails and were matched with the blood samples taken from his parents. Around 11 police personnel from SOG were arrested in the case. The charge sheet was filed before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Bandipora. Bodies of Nazir Ahmed Deka, who was killed in February 2006 and Showkat Ahmad Khan, who disappeared in October 2006 were exhumed in Ganderbal. After protests broke out across Kashmir over these killings in 2007, Police had on February 3, 2007 arrested Parihar and Deputy Superintendent of Police Bahadur Ram. Police had later registered a case against Parihar,
Posted on: Sat, 16 Aug 2014 02:51:36 +0000
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