Kashmir Bar Association to fight CBI report into Shopian deaths

SRINAGAR - The Kashmir Bar Association Friday rejected the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) report into the death of two women in Shopian town and said it would fight the report both inside and outside the court.

Addressing a media conference here, the Kashmir Bar Association president Mian Qayoom said: “We will fight the CBI report tooth and nail both inside the court and also outside.

“We reject the CBI contention that the two women, Nilofar Jan, 22, and her sister-in-law Asiya Jan, 17, had died due to drowning.

“The fact is that the victims had been raped and then murdered.”

Qayoom was accompanied by members of the district bar associations of the Valley.

The Kashmir bar association also announced that it would hold a public trial of the Shopian case to “bring facts to light”.

“We have decided to boycott the courts on Dec 23 and shall also announce further programme from time to time,” Mian Qayoon said.

In its 66-page probe report submitted to the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Monday, the CBI said the two women - Neelofar and Asiya - died due to accidental drowning in Rambiara Nallah (drain) near Zawoora Bridge May 29. Also, there was no evidence of suicidal drowning as no note or motive has emerged.

The CBI has presented a chargesheet against 13 people including six doctors, five lawyers and two witnesses, who according to the CBI report, had tried to fabricate evidence to mislead the law in this sensitive case that triggered Valley-wide protests.

Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram had Thursday said that to disbelieve the CBI report “was being ridiculous”.

Reacting to the rejection of the CBI report by victims’ relatives, CBI director Ashwini Kumar had told media in Delhi Thursday that the CBI report was based on facts backed with scientific investigation and forensic evidence.

“The truth must be said however bitter it might be. The CBI report is absolutely true and I am bound by the constitution to uphold the truth,” he had said.