HC grants bail to main accused

Ishfaq Tantry

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 24

Two-and-a-half-years after he was arrested as the prime accused in the scam involving sale of MBBS papers, the J&K High Court today granted bail to former head of the Board of Professional Entrance Examinations (BOPEE) Mushtaq Ahmad Peer.

A single bench of Justice Tashi Rabstan today allowed the bail application of Peer, who has been under judicial custody at Central Jail, Srinagar, ever since his arrest by Crime Branch sleuths on November 23, 2013.

“The judgment on behalf of Justice Tashi Rabstan was announced today by Justice TS Thakur, saying the bail plea is allowed,” said advocate Zaffar Qureshi, who represented Peer.

However, Peer is unlikely to be released as he is also wanted in another case registered against him under the Enforcement Act. It is expected that Peer may move a separate application for bail in that case before the Srinagar district judge in coming days.

In August 2015, the High Court had rejected his bail application with a condition that it shall not come in the way for him making another attempt for bail on fresh grounds.

The scam involved the sale of CET-2012 question papers by Peer through his aides Farooq Itoo, Sajjad Ahmad and Haroon in lieu of Rs 60 lakh.

In the chargesheet filed before Special Judge Anti-Corruption (Kashmir) Mohan Lal Manhas on January 12, 2014, the Crime Branch had named 25 persons as accused, including Peer, Sajjad, 12 students who got admission to the MBBS course by fraudulent means in 2012 and nine parents.