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Shopian rape, murder case: Two J&K docs dismissed for fabricating evidence at Pak’s behest
The ultimate aim of the duo was to create unrest in Kashmir by falsely accusing the security forces of rape and murder, said officials
The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Thursday terminated the services of two doctors for allegedly “actively working” with Pakistan-based groups and fabricating evidence in the 2009 “Shopian rape-murder” case.
The two medicos—Dr Bilal Ahmad Dalal and Dr Nighat Shaheen Chilloo— were terminated from the service for allegedly working at the behest of Pakistan.
“Working actively with Pakistan, the two doctors hatched a conspiracy with its assets within Kashmir to fabricate post-mortem report of Asiya and Neelofar of Shopian, who had unfortunately died by accidental drowning on May 29, 2009,” said official sources in the Raj Bhawan.
The ultimate aim of the duo was to create disaffection against the Indian state by falsely accusing the security forces of rape and murder.
The government has invoked 311 (2) (c) of the Constitution of India to sack the two doctors after an investigation clearly established that Dr Bilal and Dr Nighat acted on behalf of Pakistan’s ISI and the terror outfits, they said. The investigation, according to sources, revealed top echelon of the then government knew about the facts, which were conveniently buried, while Kashmir burnt.
In the aftermath of the Shopian conspiracy, Kashmir Valley burnt for seven months.
The seven months from June to December 2009 witnessed 42 strike calls by groups like Hurriyat, which resulted in widespread rioting in the valley. Around 600 minor and major law, and order incidents were reported from all districts of the valley, the impact of which lasted till the next year. A total of 251 FIRs were registered in different police stations for rioting, stone pelting, arson, etc.
Seven civilians lost their lives and 103 were injured during these protests. Additionally, 29 police personnel and six paramilitary personnel suffered injuries. As per an estimate, ₹6,000 crores worth of business was lost in those seven months.
“Dr Nighat Shaheen Chiloo, who is working as a consultant gynecologist and currently posted at the sub-district hospital at Chadoora in Budgam and Dr Bilal Ahmad Dalal working as a medical officer and is currently posted at NTPHC, Takiya Imam in Shopian, were found to be key players in hatching the conspiracy against Indian state on behalf of Pakistan and terrorist outfits,” said sources.
“The Shopian episode has emerged to be a classic textbook case study of how Pakistan and its proxies in J&K mobilised their deep assets within several societal and governmental institutions to fabricate a completely false story, give credence to the falsehood by creating false evidence, including a totally bogus post-mortem, going to the extent of replacing biological samples to falsely implicate completely innocent police officers and thereby subvert and obstruct the justice system of a proportion that is unprecedented in the annals of the criminal justice system,” they added.
“ Dr Nighat, Dr Bilal and many others were the lynchpins of this subversion and obstruction of justice. In Shopian case they acted on behalf of Pakistan and terrorist groups to create unrest in the Valley,” sources said.
On May 29, 2009, Neelofar Jan, 22, and her 17-year-old sister-in-law Asiya Jan went missing after returning from their orchard in Bongam village of Shopian, some 50 km from Srinagar. The dead bodies of the two were found the next day in a shallow stream amid allegations that the two were raped before being murdered by security forces camped close in the area.
The Omar Abdullah-led state government had initially termed the incident as a case of drowning, but following the public outcry, it constituted a one-man commission headed by (retired) Justice Muzaffar Jan to probe the case which had pointed towards “foul play” in the death of the women saying that it was impossible for someone to drown in water level of ankle height in the stream where the bodies were recovered. It had also indicted the police officials for dereliction of duty and had recommended reconstitution of the probe against them.
In August 2009, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the probe and found that the two women were never raped or murdered. The agency in December 2009 filed a charge sheet against 13 persons, including the two doctors for “misleading the investigations and fabricating evidence about rape and murder.”
In 2014, the Jammu and Kashmir high court had ruled out reinvestigation of the case on the basis of Justice Jan observations stating that the report of one-man judicial commission alone cannot form the basis for ordering a fresh probe into the case.
Despite repeated attempts, Dr Bilal didn’t respond to calls and message from HT. Dr Nighat couldn’t be contacted for comment.
