For the second time, a local court issued a non-bailable warrant against Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Srinagar, Amit Kumar, for failing to lodge a First Information Report (FIR) against a police officer accused of killing a civilian “in a cold-blooded murder” inside his house in Srinagar during the ongoing unrest.
Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Srinagar, Masrat Shaheen, directed Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Zone, to appear personally to clarify the position of the police in the Tengpora killing.
A Srinagar family alleged their son, a carpenter by profession, “was shot at on July 10 from a close range when he rushed to save his parents from the police officer’s thrashing.” They claim no protests were going on in the area when the police officer acted.
Both the CJM and the High Court directions to lodge an FIR against Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Yasir Qadri have not been complied with so far.
The court observed that the SSP, Srinagar, has failed to file the compliance report as was directed on July 18, 28 and August 1. “The SSP was directed to file the copy of FIR within 24 hours but despite these directions he has not complied with the orders,” held the court.
“It is very unfortunate that protectors of law have themselves become violators of the law and have wilfully disobeyed the orders of the Court,” the court said.
The court said the Chief Prosecuting Officer (CPO) has filed that the State “has chosen the statutory remedy by way of filing the Special Leave Petition (SLP) before the Supreme Court.
“It’s very unfortunate that the CPO has no knowledge about the law because he has no locus standi to file a statement of facts on behalf of the SSP Srinagar. The SSP, Srinagar, has in toto disobeyed the orders, which have been repeatedly passed against him and also was repeatedly directed to remain present before the Court, as such he is directed to show cause as to why contempt proceedings shall not be initiated against him for disobeying the orders of the court,” it said.
The case has been listed for next hearing on Monday.
