Ruling NC members join Opposition PDP over Shopian case

PDP, NC, CPI-M members rock J&K Assembly over evidence tampering

• Raising the issue, PDP President demanded a statement from the government which was supported by M.Y Tarigami (CPI-M) and ruling party members Nazir Gurezi, Saifullah Mir, Sajad Ahmed Kitchloo and Mohammad Yaseen Shah besides Sheikh Abdul Rashid (Independent).

• Government has decided to handover the Shopian rape and murder case to the CBI if the State High Court, which is monitoring the police investigation, permitted it as the issue of alleged tampering of DNA reports rocked the Assembly.

Ajmer Alam Wani

JAMMU, AUG 12: Though, the ruling party members usually support the government against the attack of Opposition members in Assembly but over the Shopian issue which rocked the entire Kashmir Valley following the recovery of the dead bodies of Neelofer and Asiya near Shopian town on May 30 this year, ruling National Conference (NC) members today joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and rocked the Assembly.

On Wednesday, Shopian rape and double murder case once again rocked the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Wednesday when Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti raised the Shopian issue in the House over the alleged tampering of crucial forensic evidence.

On the issue raised by the Mehbooba Mufti, MLAs of ruling National Conference also agreed that a debate should be held on the issue.

Both the Opposition and ruling party members supported the demand for a debate over media reports that forensic evidence had been allegedly tampered in the case.

Speaker suspended the Question Hour and allowed a discussion after his repeated requests that the issue be raised after the Question Hour failed to evoke a response.

PDP President Mehbooba Mufti raised the issue in the House along with other party members as soon as the House met.

Raising the issue, PDP President demanded a statement from the government and was supported by M.Y Tarigami (CPI-M) and ruling party members Nazir Gurezi, Saifullah Mir, Sajad Ahmed Kitchloo and Mohammad Yaseen Shah besides Sheikh Abdul Rashid (Independent).
PDP members raised slogans like “Shopian Kay Katilon Ko Pesh Karo (produce the killers of Shopian)”.

Gurezi, while initiating the discussion, demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter. He recalled the long agitation over the rape and murder of the two women.

Mehbooba accused the government of shielding the culprits’ right from day one. "First FIR was not lodged and government ruled out rape and murder. Police tried to hush up the case and now the DNA tests have been tampered with," she said.

She demanded that the culprits be brought to justice and wanted an impartial inquiry, but disapproved of a CBI probe.

Tarigami (CPI-M) said it now appears fabricated slides were presented for DNA examination. "This raises several questions," he said, wondering where the original vaginal swabs taken from the bodies of the two victims were.

Cabinet Minister Taj Mohi-ud-Din while participating in the debate said that reports appearing in the newspapers regarding the fudging of evidence could not be trusted. He said that the matter was subjudice and the government was trying its best to bring the culprits to book. However, the statements of the minister could not pacify the Opposition members and they terming it as a serious matter continued with their protest.

The allegations that forensic evidence were tampered, came after startling albeit unofficial disclosure that that vaginal swab of two women sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) did not match with that of two victims-Neelofer Jan and Aasiya Jan.

Sources said that an SIT team headed by IG Kashmir, Farooq Khan had sent these samples for DNA profiling to the CFSL. However, the vaginal swabs in the two samples did no match the viscera and blood samples of the two victims, thus prompting the CFSL to conclude that these actually belonged some one else.

It is worthwhile to recall that violent protests had erupted in entire Kashmir Valley following the recovery of the dead bodies of Neelofer and Asiya from a stream near Shopian town on May 30, this year.

Bodies of Neelofar (22) and her sister-in-law Asiya (17) were recovered from a stream on May 30 after they went missing in town the previous evening, sparking off massive protests by locals who suspected the involvement of security personnel in the crime.

While the people demanded registration of a rape and murder FIR, the police had tried to wash its hands off the case saying it was a simple act of drowning, infuriating the masses.

MEANWHILE: The Jammu and Kashmir Government today decided to handover the Shopian rape and murder case to the CBI if the state High Court, which is monitoring the police investigation, permitted it as the issue of alleged tampering of DNA reports rocked the Assembly.

The decision was announced in the Assembly by Finance Minister, Abdul Rahim Rather who said this was done as doubts were raised over the ‘fairness’ of the police investigation.

“However, there is a problem. Since the Special Investigation Team was formed under the directions of the High Court, government will approach the Court to seek permission for handing over the case to CBI”, Rather said.

The alleged fudging of DNA reports in the Shopian case was raised in the Assembly with Opposition and ruling party members insisting on a debate on the issue, leading to suspension of the question hour.

Rather had earlier stated that Chief Minister (CM) Omar Abdullah would make a statement on the issue. During the day, Advocate General Ishtiaq Qadiri informed the High Court about the government's decision. The next hearing of the case is on August 18.