After failing to produce a new status report regarding the 2017 human shield incident, in which a civilian was tied to the front of an Indian Army jeep to prevent stone pelting on the Army convoy, the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh recently issued a bailable warrant against an investigating officer (IO).
Justice Tashi Rabstan said that the Court had asked the IO to produce a status report on the progress of the investigation into the incident by November 29, 2021, failing which he would have to appear in person before the Court.
When the case was called for hearing on February 17, 2022, the Court noted that neither the respondents’ attorney nor the investigating officer in question were present.
“This court is left with no choice but to secure the attendance of the IO in question by issuing a bailable warrant in the sum of 20,000 to be executed by Senior Superintendent of Police, Budgam,” the Court said.
During the Srinagar Lok Sabha by-elections in 2017, the India Army allegedly tied the petitioner Farooq Ahmad Dar, a shawl maker, to the bonnet of a military jeep as a “shield” to dissuade stone pelting at the Army convoy.
During the incident, Major Leetul Gogoi was in charge of the soldiers.
The Jammu and Kashmir police filed a FIR against army soldier Major Gogoi in response to public outcry, and the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) took up the matter when a petition was filed.
Dar was then compensated by the SHRC for a sum of ten lakh rupees. The PDP-BJP government in the state at the time denied this, claiming that there were no rules that allowed it to pay the money.
Dar then went to the High Court, requesting that the case be investigated and a charge sheet be filed. The case will be heard again on May 9, 2022.
Case: Farooq Ahmad Dar V/s State of JK & Ors.
