J&K Crime Branch yet to get response from IRCON in sex scandal

Srinagar, Feb 22 (UNI) The crime branch of the Jammu and Kashmir police has sought the help of IRCON authorities to identify some engineers and officials who are allegedly involved in the sexual exploitation of policewomen in Kashmir.

Official sources said the Crime Branch (CB) has sent a communication to IRCON authorities seeking their help to identify officials and engineers allegedly involved in the sex scandal.

They said CB has written a letter following directions by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Srinagar, to speed up investigation against the IRCON officials involved in the crime .

Sources said the IRCON authorities have not responded to the CB communication so far. It will take another two to three days, they said.

A senior officer of the Crime Branch (CB) has submitted the report in the court on February 20 confirming to have gathered evidence against the accused officials. The court has directed the CB to submit another progress report on March 1.

The scandal surfaced following disclosure by a woman constable Shahnaz Akhter that Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Feroz Ahmad Najar, who was assigned the job of deploying women constables, was sexually exploiting them.

The Crime branch constituted a committee on the directions of Jammu and Kashmir High court, Justice B A Kirmani following these disclosures. He further directed the crime branch to investigate the case.

The departmental inquiry found Najar guilty of sexual abuse as well as corruption. He was later demoted to the rank of head constable.

Shahnaz Akhter in her statement before the inquiry officer, had Stated that Najar would ask her to identify beautiful girls so that he would exploit them sexually.

The CB in its three page report submitted in the court confirmed that Najar and some IRCON officials were involved in the scandal.

The court has directed the CB to summon all the IRCON officials named by the lady constable Shahnaz Akhter.

UNI