In Shopian, Army captain staged fake encounter for 20 lac rupees reward

The army captain involved in an alleged fake encounter in Shopian in July last year conspired with two men to get a prize of Rs 20 lakh. Three people were killed in the encounter. According to the police charge sheet, army personnel surrounded the area but despite this, the victims were shot. The Captain is currently in Army custody.

According to sources, a court martial action may be taken against the army captain. The case dates back to July 18, 2020, when an encounter took place at Amshipora in Shopian in which three people from Rajouri were killed. Those who died were Imtiaz Ahmed, Abrar Ahmed and Mohammad Ibarra.

ALSO READ: Shopian fake encounter: Bodies of 3 victims exhumed, families ask for justice

 A charge sheet has been filed before the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Shopian, in which the role of two other people besides the captain. A person became a witness in the case and has recorded his statement before the magistrate.

The army ordered a probe into the case after the three youths killed in the encounter were not terrorists after reports surfaced on social media. The Army's investigation was completed in September last year. 

In the preliminary evidence, it was found that the Army had overused the Armed Forces Special Power Act. DNA tests were carried out of the three youths killed in the encounter and the bodies were handed over to the concerned families.

ALSO READ: Shopian ‘fake encounter’: Bodies of 3 labourers being exhumed, handed over to families: IGP

Lieutenant General BS Raju, the GOC of the Army's 15th Corps, had said that the action of evidence had been completed and further action would be taken under the law. Officials aware of the case point out that the Army Captain has violated the rights granted under AFSPA 1990 and did not comply with the provisions of Do's and Don'ts of the Chief of Staff on behalf of the Supreme Court.

In the charge sheet presented by the SIT of Jammu and Kashmir Police, 75 witnesses are mentioned and technical evidence is presented in which the call data of the accused people is recorded. The charge sheet also mentions the statements of four Army personnel who were in the Captain's team at the time of the incident.

ALSO READ: Shopian encounter was fake, DNA samples match with Family: IGP Kashmir

According to the charge sheet, two other people, including the captain, erased the evidence of the crime and brought forward the wrong information. The motive was to get a reward of twenty lakh rupees.

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