Life term for Mirwaiz murderer

A designated Tada court sentenced Hizb-ul Mujhadeen (HM) commander Mohammad Ayub Dar to life for assassinating Awami Action Committee (AAC) president Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq 19 years ago.

Mirwaiz Farooq, father of moderate Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was shot dead on May 21, 1990, at his residence.

According to CBI records, Dar, Abdul Rehman Shingan and Zahoor Ahmed had visited the Mirwaiz residence at Nageen on the fateful day. Ahmed alias Bilal entered Mirwaiz’s room and shot him, while Dar and Shingan took position in his personal assistant’s room.

Five HM commanders were accused in the case by the CBI. Two of the commanders, Shingan and Mohammad Abdullah Bangroo, were killed during the trial. Dar was on bail.  Javid Bhat alias Ajmal Khan and Bilal are absconding.

The presiding officer of the Tada court said on Saturday Dar had made the confessional statement voluntarily and hence “it is sufficient to base conviction on the maker of the confession”.

On this basis, the court sentenced Dar alias Ishfaq of Rawalpora, Srinagar, to life imprisonment and fined him Rs6,000 under section 302 RPC. He was also awarded five years imprisonment and a fine of Rs5,000 under section 3 (3) Tada Act. Both sentences will run concurrently. The court cancelled the bail bond of Dar, who was present in court.