2006 J&K sex scandal: HC upholds conviction of four, acquits EX-BSF DIG
CAME TO LIGHT AFTER POLICE RECOVERED SOME CDS OF MINOR KASHMIRI GIRLS BEING SEXUALLY EXPLOITED
CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday acquitted former BSF DIG KC Padhi and convicted four persons, including a former DSP, in the 2006 J&K sex scandal.
With this, the 10-year jail term to Padhi has been quashed but upheld against former DSP, Mohammad Ashraf Mir and three others Shabbir Ahmed Laway, Shabbir Ahmed Langoo and Masood Ahmed, all locals. All of them were convicted by a Chandigarh CBI trial court in 2018. The trial court had acquitted two persons named in the scandal former state law officer, Anil Sethi and Mehrajudin Malik. The ‘kingpin’ of the scandal, Sabeena, and her husband died during trial, who were accused of forcing minors into prostitution for ₹250 to ₹500 in Srinagar. The sex scandal came to light in 2006 after the police recovered some video CDS of minor Kashmiri girls being sexually exploited. The allegations were levelled against the security force officers, police officials, ministers and other influential people. The names of 57 people had cropped up initially.
The case was handed over to
CBI amid raging controversy. It was on intervention of the apex court that trial was shifted out of the state. Four victims had turned hostile during the trial and conviction has taken place in one minor girl’s case. As many as 60 witnesses were examined, said senior advocate, Bipan Ghai, who appeared for Padhi.
Acquitting former BSF officer, the HC bench of Justice Arvind Singh Sangwan took note of a witness statements that his wife used to reside with him and no lady had ever visited his house except Padhi’s two daughters when the alleged rapes transpired. Also, it took note of statements that the BSF cantt was a highly vulnerable area and entry without proper authorisation was not possible and no entry was found of the girls’ visit, as alleged. It also took note of accounts that 40 militants were killed on different occasions in operations led by Padhi and he used to make media briefings.
“..By using feeble shoulders of the minor as a pedestal some organizations tried to settle their own agendas against paramilitary forces. Therefore, false implication of Padhi under pressure cannot be ruled out,” the bench observed in its 140 page judgment.
As of convictions of four others, the court said that it is proved that the girl was minor at the time of incident and the argument of convicts of not knowing her age was inconsequential. The court also rejected allegations that school record was manipulated to show her as minor.