No Special Prosecutor Appointed in DSP Ayub Pandith Lynching Case

2 Accused Still Absconding, 3 Released on Bail

Jammu/Srinagar, 04/Nov/2017: Shocking revelations have come to light through an RTI Reply furnished by the Srinagar district police in gruesome murder case of  Martyr Ayub Pandith, Deputy Superintendent, DSP of Jammu and Kashmir Police who was stripped and lynched by a mob outside the historic  Jamia  Masjid in Srinagar’s Nowhatta area on 22^nd of June this year.

While giving reply of an application filed under Right to Information Act by RTI Activist Raman Sharma, the Public Information Officer of the District  Police Srinagar have stated that 21 accused persons were arrested, 01 accused got killed in an encounter at Raidbugh , Magam and two accused are yet to be arrested. The information also reveals that out of 21 accused 3 are released on bail.

The information provided by the State Police also reveals that so far no Special Public Prosecutor have been appointed to present this criminal case before the court of law. On the query asking whether the JKP have appointed at its own or mulling to request the state government to appoint a special Public Prosecutor to present this case before the court of law to provide justice to the martyr officer and his family, in his reply, the DSP/PIO of the Srinagar Police stated “does not pertain” .

The Case has been challaned before the honourable court of Chief Judicial magistrate Srinagar on 06/Oct/2017.

Out of 21 accused arrested by the police, 3 Juveniles were given bail by the honourable Court and one juvenile is still languishing in Juvenile Center Harwan.

Interestingly the FIR no 51/2017  of this case was registered at Police Station Nowhatta at 11:45 PM on 22/June/2017 under section 148,149, 341, 302 RPC and Unlawful Activity Act 13  but the police could not  arrest any  accused for more than 10 days of this heinous crime and only on 3^rd of July, they succeeded in arresting  3 accused and the last accused/juvenile was arrested on 30/08/2017.

With the RTI reply, the District Police Srinagar have also provided FIR copy of the case besides a list showing the names of  all the accused along with their date of arrest.

In his response to the RTI exposure, the RTI activist Raman Sharma said this is very sad that neither the state government at its own appointed any Special public Prosecutor in this case nor the State Police department demanded it. Sharma said, the martyr DSP sacrificed his life while performing his lawful duty and it is the responsibility of the government, police and the people to ensure that justice is done and the culprits are given exemplary punishment. He urged the governor NN Vohra to intervene in this case and direct the state government for taking all appropriate steps to ensure justice.