Reprieve for Major Aditya.
In a relief to Major Aditya, Supreme Court on Monday said that no probe can be done against him in the Shopian firing case till the next day of hearing, which is on April 24. However, J&K government told the Supreme Court that Major Aditya's name is not there in the FIR as an accused in the case.
The J&K police had filed an FIR against Major Aditya Kumar, an officer in 10 Garhwal Rifles, in connection with the incident in Shopian, where three civilians were killed. His father had moved the SC seeking quashing of the FIR against his son. Earlier also top court had restrained the government from taking any coercive action against Army officials allegedly involved in the firing case.
In the court, J&K government said that it is an open-ended FIR and Major Aditya has been named as he was the commanding officer in 10 Garhwal Rifles. While the state government said that FIR has been filed in accordance with thte law, Attorney General of India said that Centre's view was not taken before FIR was filed.
Reacting to the development, Major Aditya's father said:
Lieutenant Colonel Karamveer Singh has earlier said his son Aditya Kumar, a Major in 10 Garhwal Rifles, was “wrongly and arbitrarily” named in the FIR as the incident relates to an Army convoy that was on bonafide military duty in an area under the AFSPA and was isolated by an “unruly and deranged” mob pelting stones, causing damage to military vehicles. Three civilians were killed when Army personnel fired at a stone-pelting mob in Ganovpora village in Shopian, prompting the chief minister to order an inquiry into the incident.
The FIR was registered against personnel of 10 Garhwal Rifles, including Major Kumar, under sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the Ranbir Penal Code. The petitioner has sought directions for guidelines to protect the rights of soldiers and adequate compensation so that no Army personnel is harassed by initiation of criminal proceedings for bonafide actions in exercise of their duties. Karamveer Singh said in his plea that his son’s intention was to save Army personnel and property and the fire was inflicted “only to impair and provide a safe escape from a savage and violent mob engaged in terrorist activity“.
With PTI inputs
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Stone pelting")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}