6 months ago
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The CBI probe into the custodial torture lawsuit of Jammu and Kashmir Police constable Khursheed Ahmed Chowhan has confirmed aggregate wounds inflicted connected him by chap unit astatine JIC, Kupwara, with reports showing that the fracture and different injuries were "caused by blunt unit trauma, accordant with beating oregon torture" to "extort confession".
In its findings submitted earlier the Special Court successful Srinagar, the CBI has chargesheeted Deputy SP Ajaz Ahmad, Sub-Inspector Reyaz Ahmad Mir, SPO Jahangeer Ahmad Beigh and 5 different chap constabulary officials -- Tanveer Ahmad Malla, Mohd Younis Khan, Shakir Ahmed, Altaf Hussain Bhat and Shahnawaz Ahmad Deedad -- for torture to extract a confession and information.
All the accused officers were arrested connected August 20 and are successful judicial custody.
Testimony of Sub-Inspector
The grounds of Sub-Inspector Manzoor Ahmad Sheikh, past posted astatine Police Post, Drugmulla, giving a chilling statement of Chowhan, has go beardown grounds successful the complaint expanse filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) successful the Kupwara custodial torture case.
The CBI chargesheet accessed by PTI shows that Mr. Sheikh had visited the Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC) connected February 23 and 25, 2023 to inquire astir the well-being of Chowhan, who had been brought to the Centre connected February 20 connected the signed orders of past SSP, Kupwara from Baramulla, wherever helium was posted.
When Chowhan was brought earlier Mr. Sheikh successful Deputy SP Ajaz Ahmad's bureau connected the day of February 25, 2023, his value rested connected 1 foot, the toed of the different ft hardly touching the ground, and 1 manus trembled uncontrollably, telling a soundless communicative of alleged torture astatine the JIC.
Mr. Sheikh's grounds supported the allegations that Chowhan was subjected to brutal torture upon his accomplishment by 8 of his chap constabulary unit posted astatine JIC, Kupwara to unit a confession successful a narcotics lawsuit for astir six days betwixt February 20 and 26, 2023.
The JIC, Kupwara is simply a heavy guarded operational portion of the Jammu and Kashmir Police that supports the territory constabulary successful assorted operations, including the interrogation of suspects and accused successful terrorism, narco-terrorism and narcotics cases.
Deputy SP Ajaz Ahmad and SI Reyaz Ahmad told Sheikh that Chowhan, on with 2 different persons, was progressive successful narcotics cases and asked him to enactment distant from the matter.
The fears of him being subjected to custodial torture were substantiated successful the aesculapian reports days later, which showed a fractured foot, extended bruising and injuries accordant with the allegations.
Custodial torture
The CBI cited aesculapian records from respective hospitals -- Sub-District Hospital, Kupwara; Government Medical College, Baramulla; SKIMS, Soura; and the Bone and Joint Surgery Hospital successful Barzulla -- which confirmed aggregate wounds, including a fracture successful his near foot, with reports showing that the fracture and different injuries were "caused by blunt unit trauma, accordant with beating oregon torture" to "extort confession".
Chowhan's discharge summary, utilized arsenic grounds by the CBI, had besides described a grim inventory of wounds -- conjunctival swelling successful some eyes, abrasions crossed his forearms and shins, bloodstains and tenderness connected some feet, and heavy bruising crossed the buttocks and thighs, among others.
Digging deeper, the CBI recovered captious ocular grounds successful the CCTV footage of the JIC showing Chowhan limping heavy arsenic helium walked done a corridor.
Nailing the findings, a Multi-Institutional Medical Board (MIMB) comprising elder doctors from Delhi's RML Hospital and Lady Hardinge Medical College gave a elaborate forensic opinion, concluding that the injuries connected the buttocks, precocious thighs, soles and palms "were not self-inflicted" resulting from "blunt unit impact".
"The injuries sustained successful the buttocks, precocious thighs, ft and palms, and anal fissures, beingness of overseas bodies (vegetative substance successful the rectum) are suggestive of custodial torture," the study said.
The committee further observed from the aesculapian reports that the bruises were 2 to 3 days aged -- aligning with the play of Chowhan's confinement astatine the Kupwara facility.
The allegations of Chowhan that helium was inflicted with injuries connected his genitalia were, however, not substantiated successful the study of the aesculapian board, which opined "the anticipation of the injuries sustained by the taxable successful the genitalia being self-inflicted cannot beryllium ruled out".
His allegations that helium was deed connected his abdomen by Malla connected the greeting of February 26 besides could not beryllium substantiated by the agency.
"As such, nary credible, trustworthy and prosecutable grounds has travel connected grounds that accused persons (A1 to A8) had caused injuries connected the backstage parts of Khursheed Ahmed Chowhan connected 26.02.2023 astatine JIC Kupwara," it said.
