by News Agency of Kashmir
Jammu, The police department has received another jolt after names of some senior officers including Senior Superintendent of Police, Dy Superintendent of Police, Assistant Sub-Inspector and Hawaldar besides two SPO’s figured in a custodial killing case of 1995 at Ramban being investigated by crime branch.
Names of some civilians reportedly workings as police source have also figured during the investigation.
Sources said that a team of crime branch which reached Ramban today arrested two SPOs and a civilian said to be a police source.
Highly Placed sources told News Agency of Kashmir that the then SHO Sonaullah Naik presently posted with IRP as Deputy Commandant would be arrested from Jammu, while a Police officer of the rank of Senior Superintendent of Police would be detained for questioning after getting nod from higher authorities.
Investigation, sources said, revealed that on November 3, 1995, one Ayiaz Ahmad wani son of the owner of a renowned forest lessee firm Gani Joo, Assan Joo Abdul Rashid Wani resident of Bankote Banihal, was picked by the then SHO Banihal on the orders of then Addl SP now SSP, and was taken to Police Station Ramban, where he was subjected to third degree continuously for four days.
Sources said since Ayiaz was subjected to third degree torture he developed severe problems and fell ill following which police called a local doctor. However, the doctor told police to take him to Jammu for specialized treatment. But he was kept in the police custody for another two days.
After the condition of Ayiaz, started deteriorating day by day, on November 9 he was taken to Government Medical College Jammu. However, instead of responding to the treatment he breathed his last on November 10 at 4.30 pm
The doctors at GMC conducted Postmortem which reported torture as the cause of death.
The family of the victim after receiving the dead body attempted to lodge an FIR against the erring Police Officials including the then SHO and Addl SP but failed in registering the same.
After knocking various doors for justice, the parents of the victim finally approached court of Law and latter filed a PIL before Supreme Court of India besides filling an appeal before National Human Rights commission.
The apex court, in response to the PIL directed state government through Chief Secretary Vide order Number 9339/SC/PIL dated May 20 1996 to initiate inquiry into the matter, Sources said.
Finally on the instruction of government, a case FIR no. 65 /1998 under section 302/RPC was registered in Ramban police station. However, the Police did not made any concrete progress in the case and following the persuasion of the parents of the victim the case was handed over to Crime and Railway Branch in the year 1999.
It is almost after eight years that Crime Branch has completed its investigation and issued a formal list of the accused.
Sources said that today crime branch deputed a team headed by an inspector to Ramban and Banihal, where they arrested one Nazir Ahmad wani and two SPO’s. Sources said that the then SHO Sonaullah Naik presently posted with IRP at Jammu is likely to be arrested in few days.
Sources said that the arrest of some top police officials can not be ruled out if the investigating agency did not succumb to any sort of pressure.
Highly placed sources in crime branch on the condition of anonymity told News Agency of Kashmir, that names of more than ten persons including the then SHO, an ASI Hawalder and two SPO’s besides a civilian have figured during the investigation.
Sources however said that some other senior officers would also be detained for questioning after getting nod from higher authorities in next few days.
The people of Banihal have expressed satisfaction over the out come of the investigation while hopping that the culprits involved in the innocent killing would be punished under law of the land.