Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 4: A Special NIA Court in Jammu has rejected the short-term bail plea of Mohammad Iqbal Rather, an accused in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack conspiracy case, for attending his sister’s wedding. The court, however, allowed him to participate in the ceremony through video conferencing.
Special Judge Prem Sagar held that the personal interest of the accused could not override concerns relating to national security, public order and the safety of citizens.
Rather, presently lodged in Central Jail, Agra, had sought interim bail or custody parole for 10 days—from September 5 to 10—claiming that he was the only brother of seven sisters and was required to perform the customary and religious obligations connected with the marriage.
He submitted that his father had been bedridden for several years due to a serious stomach ailment and that no other male member was available to make the necessary arrangements. The accused also undertook to surrender before the jail authorities immediately after the expiry of his temporary release.
The NIA strongly opposed the application, maintaining that Rather was facing trial in two terror-related cases and that his release could allow him to contact associates, influence witnesses or interfere with the trial.
According to the prosecution, Rather had allegedly assisted Jaish-e-Mohammad operative Ashaq Ahmad Nengroo in transporting terrorists from the Jammu-Pathankot National Highway to different places in Jammu and Kashmir.
The prosecution alleged that Rather and Nengroo travelled from Pulwama to Jammu in a truck in September 2018 and later received three terrorists near the Bain bridge on the Jammu-Pathankot highway. The terrorists allegedly opened fire on a police party during checking near Jhajjar Kotli and escaped. Arms, ammunition, incriminating documents and Pakistan-made medicines were allegedly recovered from the truck.
Rather is also an accused in the Pulwama terror attack conspiracy case. The NIA alleged that he facilitated the movement of Muhammad Umar Farooq, a key conspirator who, along with other terrorists, allegedly assembled the improvised explosive device used in the attack.
The Pulwama terror attack took place on February 14, 2019, when Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide bomber Adil Ahmad Dar rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a CRPF convoy at Lethpora in Pulwama, killing 40 CRPF personnel and injuring several others. The NIA later chargesheeted 19 accused, including Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar, in the case.
The court observed that very little time remained before the wedding and it could be presumed that most arrangements had already been completed. It said the rituals could be performed by other family members and noted that no medical record had been produced to establish the father’s alleged incapacity or prove that Rather’s physical presence was indispensable.
However, adopting a humanitarian approach, the court directed the Superintendent of Central Jail, Agra, to facilitate Rather’s participation in the wedding through video conferencing on September 5 and 6 from 11 am to 1 pm. The jail authorities were directed to provide the video-conference link to his family in advance.
Advocate Amjad Khan appeared for the accused, while Special Public Prosecutor K.S. Pathania and Public Prosecutors Chandan Kumar Singh and Ashwani Verma represented the NIA. (JNF) |
