The Hindu : Front Page : Shopian officials sacked for lapses

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Tuesday, Jun 23, 2009
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Shopian officials sacked for lapses

Shujaat Bukhari and Praveen Swami

Justice Jan Commission criticises handling of investigation

SP Javed Iqbal Matoo, DSP Rohit Baskotra, SHO Shafiq Ahmad, SI Ghazi Abdul Karim suspended
Forensic lab officer Hafiz Iqbal to be prosecuted

— PHOTO: Nissar Ahmad

On edge: Women police hold back People’s Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti and her supporters during a protest in Srinagar on Monday against the alleged rape-murder of two women in Shopian last month.

SRINAGAR/NEW DELHI: Besieged by criticism of his handling of the alleged rape-murder of two women in Shopian last month, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has moved to sack several mid-level officials charged with botching investigation into the deaths.

Based on the findings of an interim report submitted on Sunday by retired Jammu and High Court judge Justice Muzaffar Jan, Chief Minister Abdullah on Monday ordered proceedings against police, administrative and medical personnel for contributing “to the destruction, dissipation and suppression of evidence in the case.”

The then-Shopian Superintendent of Police, Javed Iqbal Matoo, Deputy Superintendent of Police in charge of headquarters Rohit Baskotra, Station House Officer Shafiq Ahmad and Sub-Inspector Ghazi Abdul Karim have been suspended, and will be investigated for failing to comply “with the statutory provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code and the mandatory provisions of police rule[s] and other relevant rules related to the investigation of Criminal procedure.”

Forensic Science Laboratory scientific officer Hafiz Javed Iqbal will be prosecuted, the government said, for “the suppression of essential evidence which had obstructed the investigation.” Mr. Iqbal is alleged to have delayed passing on forensic findings which showed that spermatozoa were present in the vaginal tracts of the women for four days, from June 2, 2009.

The State Health Department has been separately instructed to initiate proceedings against Dr. Nighat Shaheen and Dr. Bilal Ahmad, who autopsied the victims.

Justice Jan heads a Commission of Inquiry appointed to investigate the tragedy and its fallout. His interim report addresses two of the four issues it was set up to investigate: the facts and circumstances leading to the deaths of the two Shopian women and the government’s handling of the violent protests which followed.

The Chief Minister had come under sustained fire from critics who said he had failed to ensure prompt police and administrative action to ensure justice for the victims. In early interactions with the media, Mr. Abdullah said the government was awaiting autopsy results before initiating a criminal investigation — language that some interpreted to mean he supported claims the two women may have died accidentally.

Later, however, the Chief Minister suggested he had been misled by subordinates, and asked the Justice Jan commission to investigate the government’s handling of the issue.

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