Kashmir Court acquits 3 in BJP leader's 2020 murder case
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A court in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district has acquitted three men accused of sheltering terrorists who gunned down BJP leader Sheikh Waseem Bari, his father Bashir Ahmad Sheikh, and brother Umar Saeed Sultan Bari in July 2020.
The trio—Abrar Gulzar Khan, Muneer Ahmad Sheikh, and Mohammad Waqar Lone, all from Bandipora—were charged under Section 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). District and Sessions Judge Mir Wajah, also the NIA special judge, delivered the 89-page verdict on Wednesday, granting them acquittal by benefit of doubt.
Judge Wajah ruled that after scrutinizing testimony from 17 prosecution witnesses, the evidence failed to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt. "The prosecution specifically failed to establish any direct, circumstantial, forensic or technical nexus between any of the three accused and the terrorist attack of 08.07.2020 or the perpetrators thereof," the order stated.
The victims were shot dead inside their shop in Bandipora district. Proceedings against two absconding accused, Abid Rashid Dar and Azad Ahmad Shah, will continue.
The acquitted men are to be released immediately if not needed for other cases, pending jail verification.
(Inputs from PTI)