IIOJK: NIA court acquits three Kashmiri youth after six years in fabricated case
Srinagar: In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), a court of the India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) has acquitted three youth from Sopore in Baramulla district after nearly six years in a fabricated case.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the court observed that the prosecution failed to establish the alleged recovery of weapons or any link between the youths and a banned organisation.
The acquitted individuals have been identified as Waseem Irshad, Meraj-ud-Din Wani, and Meraj-ud-Din Gojri, all residents of Sopore.
Principal District and Sessions Judge Kupwara, Manjeet Singh Manhas, who also serves as the designated NIA judge, observed that the prosecution case was marked by inconsistencies and lacked credible evidence. The court noted that “…the prosecution has failed to establish the essential ingredients of the offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Arms Act, and the evidence on record is wholly insufficient to sustain a conviction.”
The court ordered the immediate release of the three youth provided they are not required in any other case.
The three youths were arrested in September 2020 during a search operation at a checkpoint in the Drugmulla area of Kupwara district. Following their arrest, they were lodged in District Jail Kupwara.
