HC to resume hearing in Shopian bail plea tomorrow

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court will resume hearing arguments tomorrow in the bail plea moved by the former Superintendent of Police Javed Iqbal Mattoo and DSP Rohit Baskotra, arrested for alleged destruction of evidences in Shopian twin rape and murder case.

When the proceedings in the case resumed today, Justice Sunil Hali heard objections raised by Mian Abdul Qayoom, president High Court Bar Association. After hearing the arguments, Justice Hali listed the case for tomorrow.

On Friday, the Special Investigating Team (SIT) had submitted before the court that it could not set a date for completing the probe into the double rape and murder.

Inspector General of Police Farooq Ahmad, who is supervising the probe, stated this in an affidavit in response to the High Court asking him to give a time frame as to when it would complete the probe.

The IGP informed the Court that under section 161 Ranbir Penal Code, police had so far recorded the statements of 80 people apart from the statements of two witnesses, Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Lone and Abdul Rashid Pampori.

Their statements were recorded under section 164 before a magistrate. He said the police had sought time from September 14 to 19 from the Gujarat Forensic Science Laboratory for the narco-analysis of witnesses.