Srinagar, May 1: A local court here on Tuesday rejected two applications in noted lawyer and human rights activist, Jaleel Andrabi’s murder case seeking details about the issuance of passport to the accused Major Avtar Singh and proceedings against him in five other FIRs.
 Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Rajeev Gupta, however, granted 15 days time to the police to submit the translated version of statements, affidavits, copy of chargesheet and other relevant documents in the court.   
 “The CJM Srinagar rejected the two applications with regard to the details of passport and initiation of proceedings against the accused Major Avtar Singh,” counsel for the complainant, Mir Hafeezullah told Greater Kashmir.
 The two applications were filed on February 6 this year by the complainant, advocate Arshad Andrabi, brother of Jaleel Andrabi, before the court in February 2012.
 In the first application it was prayed that Chandigarh Passport Office, wherefrom  the passport was issued to Avtar, despite J&K High Court directions of compounding his passport, be directed to provide details of his  travel documents.
 The second application was seeking directions for initiating court proceedings against Major Avtar Singh in five other FIRs registered against him at PS Rajbagh, Sadder and Shaheed Gunj under Section 302 (murder).
 “The SSP Srinagar vide his letter dated October 23, 2001 had submitted in the Court that accused is also involved in five murder cases registered at different city police stations.  We request the court to start proceedings against Avtar Singh in these cases”, Andrabi had submitted before the court.
 Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar had on March 29 directed the Inspector General of Police Kashmir Zone to prepare computerized, error free and explicit copies of the chargesheet, statements of witnesses, and other related documents in the case of , Jaleel Andrabi.
 The CJM had also asked the Inspector General of Police Kashmir Range to prepare the translated English version of the documents which would be subsequently authenticated by it after verifying the contents of the original charge sheet and other documents.
 The court passed the direction after Ministry of external Affairs Government of India had sent back the record pertaining to extradition of Major Avtar Singh who is accused of killing Andrabi and is currently in California.
 The court had held that the documents to be furnished are to be examined by the authorities including the courts at United States of America, the country from which the extradition is sought.
 The court had held that the record which was sent earlier along with the extradition request, as is available on the file, is neither clear nor legible and there were mistakes in the documents.
 The court had said that the documents were required to be prepared perfectly without loopholes so that they were not returned again.   
 In August last year the court had asked the Inspector General Crime Branch to file the status report of extradition proceedings of Major Avtar Singh.
 The court had also directed to issue reminder to Secretary Home to expedite the matter saying a lot of delay had already been caused in the matter.
 Pertinently, Major Avtar Singh left India after allegedly murdering Andrabi in March 1996. He went to America via Canada. He was arrested by police in California in February last year following a complaint of domestic violence by his wife. Major Avtar Singh served with Army’s 35 Rashtriya Rifles for many years.
 A murder case was registered against Major Avtar Singh and others after the victim’s family pursued the matter in the High Court and alleged that the Government was covering up the murder. The case is, however, pending trial before the court of CJM Srinagar for over a decade. The Court has directed extradition of the accused Major from USA.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 1 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 1 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 2 May 2012 00:00:00 IST