Mir, Khanday denied bail in sex racket case

Srinagar, July 14: A lower court here today rejected bail to former Jammu and Kashmir Minister and sitting legislator Ghulam Ahmed Mir and senior IAS officer Mohammad Iqbal Khanday, arrested by the CBI in connection with the sex scandal, saying their release would have damaging effect on the investigations into the case.

Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Srinagar Mohammad Yousuf Akhoon rejected the bail application of Mir and Khanday saying the evidence collected against the accused was of much substance for their involvement in the sex scandal.

Their release on bail would have damaging effect on the investigation in the case which was at a crcuial stage, he added.

However, in the case of Khanday, the Judge said it was the duty of the state to manage the ailments, if any, from which the accused was suffering. He should be provided with the best medicare while in custody, the court ordered.

The Judge also asked the CBI to speed up the investigation of the sex racket case so that the accused were put on early trial for the offences for which they have been implicated.

He also noted that the victims, being unmarried girls, were at present undergoing great humiliation and agony and it was essential to keep them aloof from all sorts of influence and intimidation so that they make free and true disclosures before the trial court.

In his bail plea, Mir had submitted that he had been falsely implicated in the sex racket case which was politically motivated and part of the ''internal and external conspiracy'' to keep him out of the ministry which would soon be expanded. In his bail application, Khanday said his detention by the CBI smacks of a ''big conspiracy'' hatched by the people in power.

These people have been inimical towards him and designing ways and means to scuttle his otherwise bright career, Khanday said, adding his continued detention was hazardous and a risk to his life as he had udergone three major surgeries.

While advocate H R Khan Suhail pleaded the case on behalf of Mir, Sajid Khanday represented his father in the court.

The CBI sought rejection of the bail pleas on the ground that the accused, being influential people, would scuttle the investigations, influence the witnesses and tamper with evidence if released.

Meanwhile, the CJM, Srinagar would hear the bail plea of another former Minister and sitting legislator Raman Mattoo on Monday.

However, applications of five other accused -- BSF DIG K C Padhi, Jammu and Kashmir Police DSP Mohammad Ashraf Mir, Merajuddin Malik, Shabir Ahmed Laway alias Shabir Kalla sex racket and kingpin Sabeena -- would be taken up by the court tomorrow.

Besides Mir, Mattoo and Khanday, among the other arrested are sacked state Additional Advocate General Anil Sethi, Jammu and Kashmir Police Counter-Insurgency Kashmir (CIK) wing DSP Mohammad Yousuf Mir and Naaz Hotel manager Riyaz Kawa.

Mir, a former Minister of State for Roads and Buildings and a Congress legislator from Dooru in Anantnag district, was arrested by the CBI from the Jammu and Kashmir House at Chanakyapuri in New Delhi on June 20.

Mattoo, a former Minister of State for Industries and Commerce and an independent legislator from Habba Kadal in Srinagar, was also arrested by the CBI from his residence at Gupkar here on June 20.

The DIG BSF had surrendered before the CBI here on June 7 while Sethi, who was evading arrest since a proclamation notice was issued against him on June 14 by the CJM following a request by the CBI, also surrendered in a local court at Jammu on June 21.

On June 29, the CBI arrested Khanday, an IAS officer of 1978 batch and Principal Secretary in the Planning and Development Department. He had served on several top posts, including Principal Secretary to former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

The sex racket case was handed over to the CBI on May one following allegations that politicians, bureaucrats besides senior police and paramilitary officials were involved in the scandal.

As soon as the scandal surfaced, massive demonstrations erupted in the entire Kashmir valley and the angry protestors brought down the houses of alleged sex racket kingpin Sabeena at Habba Kadal in the old city on June 5.

On May three, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court took a suo motu cognizance of the case and then on May 12 admitted a public interest litigation filed by the Kashmir Bar Association.

Since then, the High Court is hearing the sex racket case and monitoring the investigations into the scandal by the CBI.

UNI