Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said the state government was considering review of the cases of “second-time offenders” – youth who have been booked more than once for anti-government protests or on charges of alleged stone pelting. Last month, the government had decided to drop cases against more than 9000 “first-time offenders” – youth booked for such charges first time.
Replying to the concern expressed by MLC FirdousTak in Legislative Council, the Chief Minister said the government was mulling to extend benefits of amnesty to stone pelters who are booked under more than one FIR, but only after reviewing the cases of first-time offenders who had been given amnesty recently.
“Our government is currently reviewing the cases of first-time offenders,” she said and added that amnesty granted to youth in various law and order related cases is aimed at bringing them back to their families and society so that they can lead a peaceful life and restart their education, careers and other job pursuits.
“We involved their families so that these offenders, who are mostly youth, do not engage in such activities again,” said Mehbooba.
“After carefully monitoring the results of this scheme, the Government would also examine and assess the cases of youth against whom more than one case is registered,” she said.
Earlier, replying to the main question raised by Firdous Ahmad Tak, the Minister for Agriculture, G N Lone Hanjura, said by giving amnesty to the first time offenders, the government is involving their parents and families so that they encourage their wards not to indulge in such activities in future.
He said the government would consider the cases of second time offenders for amnesty.
He informed that no case has been recommended for amnesty under Section 120-B and 153-A CrPC from Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban.
He informed that 16 cases have been registered against 23 accused persons in Doda, 12 cases against 359 accused in Kishtwar and 15 cases against 155 accused have been registered in Ramban since 2008.
MLC YasirReshi raised supplementary to the main question.