Accuse in temple attack discharged

Jammu, Oct 31: The Jammu sessions court has discharged six accused in the suicide attack at the Raghunath Temple on March 30, 2002.

Principal Sessions Judge Jammu, Subhash Chander Gupta, while passing severe strictures against Investigating and Supervisory Officers yesterday, discharged six accused-- Mehmood Ahmed, Maroof Khan, Sarfraz Khan, Kabir Din, Munir Hussain Khan and Shabir Ahmed.

The accused had remained in custody for a considerable period and were subsequently detained under Public Safety Act (PSA) for two years.

The Police, in its report, stated that two armed militants hurling grenades had entered the temple at about 1000 hrs and opened fire.

Both the militants were killed in an encounter with the police and security forces.

A case under Prevention and Suppression of Sabotage Act and Terrorism Act was registered. The police arrested all the accused and they remained in custody for two years under PSA. On the expiry of PSA they were again arrested in the present case.

While discharging the six accused the Principal Session Judges said as police failed to file the charge-sheet against them within the stipulated period they were released on bail.

Mr Gupta after hearing Public Prosecutor and Advocate, observed that there were 84 witnesses in support of the charge-sheet but not iota of evidence in their statements against the accused as non of these witnesses had named any of the accused except statement about the two killed militants.

UNI