Srinagar, Dec 23 (JKNS): A designated court under the NIA Act in Srinagar has acquitted three alleged overground workers in connection with the 2020 Taingan CRPF attack case, observing that the prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt and could not establish a complete chain of evidence.
As per news agency JKNS, The verdict was pronounced by the Additional Sessions Judge (TADA/POTA), Srinagar, Manjeet Rai, in a case stemming from FIR No. 138/2020 of Police Station Nowgam, related to the terror attack on a CRPF road-opening party near Taingan on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway on October 5, 2020, in which two CRPF personnel lost their lives and four others were injured.
The accused Faisal Ahmad Ganaie of Shankerpora Nowgam, Waseem Ahmad Ganaie of Chattergam, and Shakir Ahmad Dar of Kakapora Pulwama were booked under various provisions of the IPC, Arms Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for allegedly providing logistical support, shelter and transportation to the terrorists involved in the attack.
As per news agency JKNS, the court noted that none of the CRPF personnel examined during the trial identified the accused or directly linked them to the incident. The witnesses, the court observed, only deposed that the attack was carried out by unknown terrorists.
The court further held that the prosecution’s case was purely circumstantial and largely based on disclosure statements recorded in police custody and joint pointing-out memos, which were found to have weak evidentiary value. It ruled that the disclosures did not lead to the recovery of any new incriminating material as required under Section 27 of the Evidence Act.
Highlighting serious lapses in investigation, the court pointed out the absence of independent witnesses, lack of CCTV or technical evidence, non-production of ballistic reports, and failure to conclusively connect weapons allegedly recovered later with the cartridges seized from the crime scene.
While two terrorists allegedly involved in the attack Saifullah, a Pakistani national, and Irshad Ahmad Dar of Pulwama were killed in an encounter at Barzulla, Srinagar, on October 12, 2020, the court observed that this alone was insufficient to establish the role of the accused persons.
Concluding that the chain of circumstances was incomplete and unreliable, the court extended the benefit of doubt to the accused and acquitted all three of the charges framed against them. (JKNS)