On Wednesday, 30th May 2018, the special CBI court held five people which includes a former DSP BSF, guilty for rape in the year 2006 Jammu and Kashmir sex scandal. The quantum of sentence will be pronounced on June, 2018.
There is involvement of top officials, politicians, bureaucrats and even surrendered militants in the 12-year-old case which is exploitation of minor victims. The minors who were forced into prostitution were paid between Rs 250 to Rs 500.
There are four survivors and nine accused in the case, the chargesheet claims. During the trail, prime accused Sabeena and her husband Abdul Hamid Bulla died. They use to run a brothel in Srinagar.
As we can make out that the nature of case is sensitive with the involvement of minors, the complete trail was kept in-camera and code words, by CBI so that identity of every complainant and witness would not be compromised at any circumstances. During the course of trial, three survivors turned hostile and the fourth one was in the CBI’s protective custody.
The 2006 scandal had been exposed after the J&K police discovered two video CDs showing Kashmiri minors being sexually exploited. The police questioned the minors, including the alleged kingpin, Sabeena. After questioning them, the police gathered names of 56 people who were allegedly involved in the scandal.
In May 2006 the case was transferred to CBI after names of two J&K ministers, MLAs and other influential men emerged in the case. The trail was shifted by Supreme Court to Chandigarh in the same year. Interestingly, the name of the J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah had also surfaced in the case, which led to him tendering his resignation July 2009. Nevertheless, the J&K governor had finally refused his resignation.
Those who have been held guilty are Mohammad Ashraf Mir (Ex-DSP), KC Padhi (Ex-DIG BSF), Shabbir Ahmad Laway, Shabbir Ahmad Langoo, and Masood Ahmad. However, businessman Mehraj-ud-Din Malik and then Advocate General of Jammu and Kashmir Anil Sethi were acquitted by court.
Picture credits: Standard Examiner