Awards 7 Year Jail To ‘Rapist’

Udhampur, Sept 26 : A court on Saturday sentenced to seven years jail to one Surinder Singh of Kotli Jija Udhampur for raping girl in 2011.
According to the police, on 07.12.2011 the girl (name withheld) filed a written complaint in police station Rehmbal that the accused called her and when she met him, he outraged her modesty. He also threatened her not to disclose any one about their relations. The accused repeatedly made physical relations with her with a promise to marry her. On the basis of the report, an FIR no 211/2011 under section 376 RPC was registered and the accused was arrested after thorough investigation. Later challan was presented in the court of Additional District and session judge court Udhampur.
After hearing Additional public prosecutor Anil Kumar Magotra for the State, and counsel for the accused and material on record, the Additional session judge Udhampur, S.R Gandhi, today sentenced the accused for seven year imprisonment. The Court observed that a woman’s body is not a man’s plaything and he cannot take advantage of it in order to satisfy his lust and desires by fooling a woman into consenting to sexual intercourse simply because he wants to indulge in it.
Keeping in mind the aggravating and mitigating circumstances of this case, it is ordered that for the commission of offence under Section 376 of the RPC, the convict shall undergo rigorous imprisonment for 07 years ( seven years) and a fine of Rs.5,000/- (Rupees five thousand ). For the commission of offence under Section 417 of the RPC the convict shall further undergo rigorous imprisonment for 01 year ( one year) and a fine of Rs. 2,000/- ( Rupees two thousand ).
Both the sentences shall run concurrently. In default of payment of fine, the convict shall further undergo imprisonment for 06 months. It is evident from the record that the convict was arrested on 08.12.2011 and released on bail 03.01.2012. The period of detention already undergone shall be set off from the sentence awarded to the convict. Court also ordered a copy of judgment to the Chairman District Legal Service Authority, Udhampur with the request to consider this case for compensation to the victim.

Srinagar, Sep 26 : The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Saturday suspended Special Secretary to the Government, Industries and Commerce Department Muhammad Mujib-ur-Rehman Ghassi and Deputy Registrar Cooperative Societies Jammu and Kashmir, Ashiq Hussian.

“Pending enquiry into his conduct, Mr. Mohd. Mujib-ur-Rehman Ghassi, KAS, Special Secretary to the Government, Industries and Commerce Department, is hereby placed under suspension, with immediate effect in terms of Rule 31 of Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control Appeal) Rules, 1956,” an order under number 896-JK(GAD) of 2020, dated 26-09-2020, issued by Commissioner/Secretary to the Government, Manoj Kumar Dwivedi reads.

“During the period of his suspension, he shall remain attached with the General Administration department,” the order reads.

As per another order issued by him, Deputy Registrar Cooperative Societies Jammu and Kashmir Ashiq Hussain was also placed under suspension.

“Pending enquiry into his conduct, Mr. Ashiq Hussain, Deputy Registrar, Cooperative Societies, J&K, is hereby placed under suspension, with immediate effect in terms of Rule 31 of Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control Appeal) Rules, 1956. During the period of his suspension, he shall remain attached in the office of Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir,” an order under number 897-JK(GAD) of 2020, dated 26-09-2020, reads the order

Baramulla, Sep 26 : Gulmarg, a world famous ski-resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Saturday received season’s first snowfall, bringing the temperature down.

Pertinently, a local Meteorological (MeT) department had predicted light snowfall in higher reaches and light rainfall in plains of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.

Reports reaching the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that Gulmarg has received moderate snowfall today. It was the first snowfall of this season and thus ended the long dry spell as well.

After fresh snowfall in the area, the temperature has also plummeted at the world famous ski-resort and its adjacent areas.

Earlier, Deputy Director Meteorological department, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad had said that a fresh western disturbance on Saturday will likely bring rain or snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir. He had stated that very light rainfall would occur in plains while there is possibility of very light snowfall in higher reaches at isolated to scattered places as well.

Ahmad had also said the weather conditions would improve from Sunday morning.

‘Centre yet to order implementation of reforms in J&K and Ladakh’

Srinagar, Sep 26: A report prepared by prominent rights body- Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative(CHRI)- has revealed that government of the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir had sought exemption from the Supreme Court for implementing key police reforms like State Security Commission(SSC) and Police Complaint Authority(PCA).

The report titled “Government compliance with Supreme Court directives on police reforms: an assessment (2020)” states that state government had moved an application before the Supreme Court challenging the implementation of the directives on the SSC and PCA.

“On State Security Commissions, the government had asked to be exempted from implementing this directive based on the specific security situation in the State. It had said that establishing a body such as the SSC would destabilize the system of coordination and control between the Army, the Central Para-military Forces and local police, headed by the Chief Minister,” reads the report, a copy of which is with news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO)

On establishing Police Complaints Authority, government, according to the report, alleged that creating Police Complaints Authorities would give a forum for insurgency ‘elements’ to lodge false complaints against the police to demoralize the police.

“Further, they claimed there are already sufficient oversights mechanisms in the state, such as the SHRC, Vigilance Commission and departmental superiors,” it states.

“On Police Establishment Board, the state government had first issued an order dated 06.02.2007 and then subsequently on 19.04.2017 superseding the previous order. As per the 2017 order, the PEB was made up of the DGP and 9 other senior officers. It had the mandate to decide all transfers, postings, promotions and other service related matters of police of and below the rank of DySP. It was silent on its power to recommend for SP and above,” it adds.

The report claims that post reorganization of the erstwhile state of J&K, the Government of India is yet to issue orders on the implementation of the Supreme Court directives relating to police reforms.

In 2010, Union Home Ministry had constituted Union Territories Security Commission for all UTs, comprising representatives of Centre, UTs and independent members.

According to the report, Jammu and Kashmir Police Draft Bill was made public in 2013 but since then no progress has been made in this direction—(KNO)

Srinagar, Sept 26 : Crime Branch Kashmir on Saturday registered a case against a former Deputy Commissioner Kupwara and other officials in connection with the setting up a Stone Crusher, Hot Mix Plant “illegally” at Gutlipora, Hyhama Kupwara. The Crime Branch Kashmir said it registered the FIR (35/2020 u/s 447,468,120B RPC and Section 5(2) Prevention of Corruption Act Svt. 2006) after conducting a Preliminary Verification into a written complaint lodged with it by inhabitants of Gutlipora, Hyhama Kupwara.
The inhabitants have alleged that in brazen violation of extant rules and regulations governing grant of NOC for establishing a Crusher/Hot Mix Plant, the authorities concerned had issued NOC to a Crusher/Hot Mix Plant in 2017 to one M/S National Infra Construction Company Gutlipora Kupwara. They alleged that the revenue records of the piece of land on which the Hot Mix Plant was established had been “manipulated” by the then revenue authorities.
“The Crime Branch After conducting a preliminary verification including spot inspection etc. into the matter prima facie found that the allegations are substantiated,” an officer of the Crime Branch said in a statement to GNS.
During the verification it has been revealed that M/S National Infra Construction Company Gutlipora, Hyhama, a partnership firm, had sought registration with the DIC Kupwara for establishing Stone Crusher/Hot Mix Plant, it said.
The registration of the plant was to be governed by the Government Order (No. 104/Ind of 2015 dated 14.07.2015), whereunder the Plant Holder was required to seek the NOCs from the Deputy Commissioner, Kupwara regarding ownership of land, etc, State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) regarding Pollution Control, Geology and Mining regarding location, feasibility and availability of raw material, Forest Department, I&FC and Fisheries Department. The then Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Kupwara had “illegally” issued NOC in favour of the Plant on 27 March 2017 in violation of the standing laws and rules regulating the establishment of such plants, it said.
“The Plant was registered in the name of partnership firm, which was not having the required title over the land. During the verification, it also surfaced that the land on which the alleged illegal plant was set up was Abi-Awal, but the District revenue officers/officials manipulated the nature and the character of the land by showing same as Gair Mumkin Shart in violation of section 133A Land Revenue Act Svt. 1996 read with the Government Policy regarding change of land use issued vide Govt. Order No. 138-Rev (S) of 2016 dated 07.10.2016 to extend undue favour to the beneficiaries.”
The verification also revealed that General Manager, DIC, Kupwara provided registration to the Plant without the required NOCs from Fisheries and Forest Department.
“The Officers/Officials of SPCB, Geology & Mining, Forest, I&FC were also found to have illegally issued NOCs in violation of Government orders, rules and regulations framed thereunder for the purpose.”
The then Deputy Commissioner Kupwara, the crime branch said, also failed to take any further action against the illegal operation of the plant as was mandated under Government Order No. 104/Ind of 2015 dated 14.07.2015, when the complainants and residents brought the issue to his notice.
“The FIR has been registered against the then Deputy Commissioner, Kupwara; then Additional Deputy Commissioner Kupwara; District revenue Officers/Officials; then General Manager District Industries Centre (DIC) Kupwara; then Officers/Officials of State Pollution Control Board (SPCB); then District Officers/Officials of Geology and Mining Department, then Officers/Officials of Forest Department; then Agriculture Officer, Kupwara and beneficiaries including Haji Mohabbat Ali Khan son of Rehmatullah Khan resident Shortpora Hyhama, Kupwara and others for setting up a Stone Crusher/Hot Mix Plant illegally at Gutlipora, Hyhama Kupwara,” it added.

Umaisar Gull Ganie

Anantnag, Sep 25: Four youth sustained injuries after an unexploded device went off at Sirhama, Anantnag gunfight site where two Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants were killed in the morning today.
Of the four injured, two were referred to Srinagar hospital for specialized treatment, officials said.
A police official told KNO that the incident took place as a group of people were clearing debris from the house razed to the ground during the gunfight where two militants were killed.
“The banners were already erected there, appealing people not to venture near the spot. While we sanitized the area, there seems that some explosive had been left unnoticed, which these persons fiddled with, leading to the blast,” he said, adding that four persons were injured and have been hospitalized.
The injured were identified as Muhammad Yasin Rather, of Sirhama, Shahid Yousuf of Bun Nambal, Irfan Ahmed Bhat of Bun Nambal and Mudasir Ahmed Magray of Sirhama. Yasin and Shahid have been referred to SK Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura, for specialized treatment—(KNO)