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J&K sex racket: Court defers hearing
A court in Srinagar on Thursday deferred the hearing on bail applications of four persons arrested in connection with the sex racket case.
A court in Srinagar on Thursday deferred the hearing on bail applications of four persons arrested in connection with the sex racket case as the defence counsel could not reach the court in time.
Sessions Judge M Yaqoob Mir adjourned the hearing of the bail applications of Deputy Superintendent of Police M Ashraf Mir, Sabeena, the alleged kingpin of the sex racket, her husband A Hameed Bhulla and Mehrajuddin Malik till August 5.
Defence counsel Moulvi Aijaz, who is appearing as amicus curae in the case, was not present in court when the proceedings began. The judge then adjourned the hearing.
Aijaz said he was held up by an official of Lalla Ded hospital, the biggest maternity hospital in the Kashmir Valley, who did not provide documents he had sought a few days ago.
"I had sought documents which would have drastic effect on the case itself but I was denied the same by the official," he said.
Aijaz has challenged the CBI's assertion that the main victim of the racket, a 16-year-old girl, was a minor. He claimed the girl was 25 years old according to documents in the divisional commissioner's office.
Fourteen people, including two former state ministers, two police officials, a DIG of the BSF, a former additional advocate general and a senior IAS officer, have been arrested in connection with the sex racket.
