Shopian case: No Bail for accused cops

A court in Shopian on Thursday rejected the bail application of four police officials, including the then Superintendent of Police Javed Iqbal Mattoo, in connection with the rape and murder case of two women in the town.

A court in Shopian on Thursday rejected the bail application of four police officials, including the then Superintendent of Police Javed Iqbal Mattoo, in connection with the rape and murder case of two women in the town.

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Rejecting the bail plea under section 497 of CRPC (discretionary powers of the judge to grant bail or not), the sessions judge said investigations in the case were still on.

The sessions court had heard the arguments of the state government counsel as well as that of the defence counsel for nearly a week before reserving its order on July 31 and adjourning the case for Thursday.

The officers concerned, who have been suspended, were SP Mattoo, DSP Rohit Baskotra, former Shopian SHO Shafeeq Ahmad and Sub-Inspector Gazi Abdul Karim.

While the state government's counsel submitted in the court that the officers had been arrested on suspicion of not performing their duties, the defence counsel Asim Mehrotra, appearing on behalf of the police officials, had countered the argument saying nothing adverse had been found against them.

The four officers were suspended on June 22 for their alleged involvement in destroying evidence relating to the rape and murder of 17 year-old Asiya and her sister-in-law Neelofar (22) on May 30 and arrested on July 15 following an order by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.