Defence counsel in Kathua case appointed AAG; PDP, NC criticise move
JAMMU: Even as former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday expected intervention of governor NN Vohra into the appointment of advocate Aseem Sawhney, one of the defence lawyers in the Kathua rape and murder case, as an additional advocate general of the state, the latter said he has dissociated himself from all the cases against the state and has not attended the trial being held at Pathankot since July 2.
On Tuesday, the Jammu and Kashmir law department issued an order appointing 31 advocates as additional advocates general, deputy advocates general and government advocates, with 15 in the Kashmir wing of the high court and 16 in the Jammu wing.
One the 16 names of law officers for the Jammu wing is Aseem Sawhney- initially a counsel of head constable Tilak Raj in the rape and murder case of an eight-year-old nomad girl in Kathua.
Sawhney has been appointed as an additional advocate general. Former CM Mehbooba took to Twitter and posted, “Ironic that a day after celebrating World Day for International Justice, the defence counsel in the horrific rape & murder Kathua case has been appointed as Additional Advocate General.”
In an another tweet she posted, “Rewarding those who defend alleged murderers & rapists is abhorrent & a shocking violation of the spirit of justice. Such a move will only serve to encourage the rape culture rampant in our society. Expect the @jandkgovernor to intervene.”
Sawhney also took to the social site to respond to the former CM and posted, “Hadn’t been cndctng (conducting) #Rassana_trial since July 2 due to preoccupations
The decision is both inexplicable & worrisome but if the victim’s lawyer is not unduly concerned by this development the rest of us should just let her get on with the job of ensuring justice for the young victim. OMAR ABDULLAH, V-P, NC
in HC (high court), moreover having been a lawyer for one of accused does it make a lawyer an accused too. Lawyers are profls (professionals) and can’t refuse briefs. As AAG (additional advocate general) will now not contest any case against State”.
In two other tweets, he posted, “I am a lawyer or an accused ? Be nice to me, I may be your lawyer one day as a saying goes @Mehboobamufti.”
“By this logic none should defend Kasab (Ajmal), Afzal (Guru), Dawood (Ibrahim), Salman (Khan), Sanjay Dutt or any other accused. @Mehboobamufti @ANI,” he added.
Talking to HT, he said, “Since July 2, I have not appeared in the Kathua case at Pathankot. Since I am now a law officer of the state, I have dissociated myself from all the cases against the state.”
In an indirect hint, he, however, said does representing militants make lawyers militants?
“I don’t know why a controversy is being created unnecessarily. Now, my father is the counsel of head constable Tilak Raj, one of the eight accused in the Kathua case, and the constitution guarantees every accused a right of fair trial,” he added.
National Conference vicepresident and former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah also took to the social site and posted, “The decision is both inexplicable & worrisome but if the victim’s lawyer is not unduly concerned by this development the rest of us should just let her get on with the job of ensuring justice for the young victim.”
An eight-year-old girl from a nomadic tribe, as per the crime branch chargesheet, was abducted on January 10 from Rasana village in Kathua district, kept in captivity, starved, sedated and gangraped in a temple before being brutally killed. Her body was recovered on January 17.