J&K sex scandal: Former DIG BSF, former DSP and 3 others awarded 10 years in jail

CHANDIGARH: A special CBI court on Wednesday awarded 10 years in jail to five persons, including a former DSP and a former DIG BSF, in the 2006 Jammu and Kashmir sex scandal.
Those who have been held guilty are Mohammad Ashraf Mir (Ex-DSP, encounter specialist of J&K police), KC Padhi (Ex-DIG BSF), Shabbir Ahmad Laway, Shabbir Ahmad Langoo, and Masood Ahmad Maqsood.
However, businessman Mehrajuddin Malik and the then additional advocate general of Jammu and Kashmir Anil Seth were acquitted by the court.
The name of then J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah had also surfaced in the CBI chargesheet which led to him quitting as CM in July 2009.
As per the chargesheet filed by the police, the minor victims were blackmailed and forced into prostitution for Rs 250 to Rs 500. All the accused were convicted under section 376 of Ranbir Penal Code (RPC). However, they have been acquitted under section 5 of Immoral Traffic Prevention Act as the police failed to prove this alternative charge.
There were nine accused in this matter but the main kingpin accused Sabeena along with accused Abdul Hamid Bulla died during the trial. Both, Sabeena and Bulla, ran the brothel and they used to supply girls to other accused.
Also, out of the four victims, three had turned hostile; however one victim maintained her stand and recorded statements and supported the prosecution theory. Owing to the sensitive nature of the case, the trial was kept in camera and code language was used by CBI in the charegesheet to protect victim’s identity. The victim was also kept in the protective custody of the CBI as there were substantial threats to her life.
The minor victim who was the daughter of a mason was forced into prostitution by main kingpin Sabeena. She used to run the brothel and arrange girls for clients.
The scam hit headlines in 2006 after the police discovered two video CDs showing Kashmiri women being sexually exploited. The police questioned two girls, including the prosecutrix, and the alleged kingpin Sabeena. After grilling them, they listed 56 people allegedly involved in the racket. The case was transferred to the CBI after the names of ministers and other influential men came to the fore. The case was transferred by the Supreme Court to Chandigarh the same year.

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