Srinagar, June 11: The High Court on Friday directed the Inspector General of Police-Kashmir division to monitor investigation of case of Manzoor Ahmad Dar of Rawalpora who disappeared in army’s custody in 2002.  
 “The investigating officer is not probing the case properly. Ordinarily he should have interrogated the accused  Colonel. It appears the officer has treated the matter in most casual manner. The matter pertains to 2002 and no subsequent progress has been made during past eight years,” the single bench of Justice Hakeem Imtiyaz Hussain said.
 The judge expressed dissatisfaction with the progress and directed the IGP Kashmir to personally monitor the investigations and report back to the court in two months.       
 Pertinently, Jana begum wife of the victim, Manzoor Ahmed Dar, had filed a petition in the court to seek whereabouts of her husband.
 The petitioner had said her husband was picked by the Rashitriya Rifles troopers on the intervening night of January 18 and January 19, 2002 from his Rawalpora residence. 
  After the petition was filed the the Chief Judicial Magistrate Budgam conducted the inquiry and indicted the RR for apprehending Manzoor on that night. The High Court subsequently directed the Station House Officer Police Station Sadder to investigate the matter. The police registered an FIR 33/2002 under section 363/364 RPC.
 During the investigation the statements of the petitioner and her daughter Bilquees were recorded. “The duo revealed that Colonel Kishore Malhotra then posted at Old Airport Srinagar had the knowledge of the circumstances related Dar’s abduction.”
 After the report was submitted the then SHO approached the High Court for directions to seek presence of Colonel Kishore. The Court directed the Army authorities to ask the Colonel to appear before the investigating officer. However, the army objected and took the matter to the Apex Court which upheld the directions of the High Court.
 Following it the Colonel appeared before the investigating officer. “But the investigating officer instead of interrogating him and questioning him in the light of the evidence gave him the questionnaire and the Colonel submitted his reply in the answer form.”
  The Colonel denied all the allegations and said he came to know about the incident only after the road was blocked by locals against Manzoor’s abduction. He said he has no other knowledge about his arrest.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 11 Jun 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 11 Jun 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 12 Jun 2010 00:00:00 IST