Court asks SIT to file objections in Kashmir fake encounters

Srinagar, May 4 (UNI) A lower court here asked the Jammu and Kashmir Police to file its objections to an application by the Army challenging the chargesheet filed against its five personnel in the killing of a Muslim cleric allegedly in a fake encounter.

The army challenged the chargesheet filed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the police on the grounds that the prosecution has not sought prior sanction from the Centre.

The application came up for hearing before the court which fixed the next date of hearing on May 18.

The SIT, probing the killing of five civilians allegedly in fake encounters, had filed the chargesheet against 11 people, including five Army men and as many police personnel, in connection with killing of cleric Showkat Ahmad Kataria on April 12.

Superintendent of Police Hansraj Parihar, DSP Bahadur Ram, their three escorts and a cleric Mohammad Ashraf Khan were charged with murder of Kataria, the Army personnel -- Colonel Vikram Singh, Major Rishi, Puran Singh, V K Sharma and Satpal Singh -- had been accused of hatching a criminal conspiracy.

The Army said there was no prior sanction from the Centre for prosecution of its personnel which was required under section seven of the Armed Forces (Special) Powers Act.

Kataria was allegedly picked up from Zadibal area of the city and shot dead in a fake encounter at Bazipora-Ajas in newly-created Bandipora district on October 5 last year.

UNI