Sex racket: BSF DIG, two others in judicial remand

Srinagar, June 10 : Border Security Force (BSF) Deputy Inspector General (DIG) K S Padhi and two others, allegedly involved in the sex racket case, were sent to 14-day judicial remand by a local court here.

Padhi, who surrendered before the Central Bureau Of Investigation (CBI) at its camp office here on June 7 following the High Court's directions, was produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) here along with two locals.

The CJM after hearing the arguments remanded them in judicial custody for 14 days.

He was taken into custody by the CBI after a Test Identification Parade (TIP) was conducted before one of the minor victims in the sex scandal which sparked off massive protests in the Kashmir valley following disclosure that some top politicians, bureaucrats and senior police and paramilitary officials were allegedly involved in the flesh trade racket.

Padhi, now posted in Asom was evading arrest after the victim named him as one of the 11 people who had allegedly raped her.

However, the arrest came a day after he surfaced in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court for surrender when a division bench, comprising Justice Hakeem Imtiyaz Hussain and Justice Bashir Ahmed Kirmani, was hearing the sex racket case.

Padhi wanted to surrender in the court. However, the court did not accept his plea and instead asked him to surrender before the CBI.

The CBI secured his remand from the CJM for custodial interrogation when he surrendered at their camp office here.

The Supreme Court had also refused to grant protection to him against impending arrest in the same case.

The CBI had arrested Deputy Superintendent of Police Ashraf Mir , at present posted as the Sub-Divisional Police Officer in the Pattan Police Station on June 4, following his identification by the victim in the TIP after remaining absconding for ten days.

UNI