New Delhi: The Apex Court on Monday agreed to hear the petition of Major Aditya’s father, the accused in Shopian Civilian Murders case.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud considered advocate Aishwarya Bhati’s submission that the plea of the father be heard on an urgent basis.
On Thursday, Major’s father Lieutenant Colonel Karamveer Singh, in his petition has said that the FIR lodged against Aditya and the 10 Garwhal Rifles for Murder and Attempt to Murder, will ‘hurt the morale’ of the Army.
He also added in his petition while mentioning a report said that the authorities were aware that the Major “was not there,” but “in an arbitrary exercise of power, named my son as an accused.”
The lawyer said the FIR has illegally been lodged against Major Aditya Kumar in connection with the firing incident in Shopian.
“We will hear it on Monday,” the bench said.
ALSO READ: Shopian Civilian Murders: Continuous deaths and endless mourning
Lieutenant Colonel Karamveer Singh said his son, a major in 10 Garhwal Rifles, was “wrongly and arbitrarily” named in the FIR as the incident relates to an Army convoy that was on bonafide military duty in an area under the AFSPA and was isolated by an “unruly and deranged” mob pelting stones, causing damage to military vehicles.
Last month two civilian were murdered by the Army after a crowd threw stones at them. They had come to remove ‘black banners’ which the people didn’t allow.
The army according to eyewitnesses retaliated with firing. Witnesses added that army fired upon youth directly resulting in the injuries of at least 11 persons.
Another youth who was injured in the incident succumbed to his injuries taking the toll to three. Shopian observed a complete shutdown against the killings for about 10 days.
The Army on Wednesday however said that they fired in ‘self defence’ after they were provoked to the ‘ultimate’ by a stone throwing crowd.
The BJP, coalition partner of the ruling PDP had demanded that the FIR against the Army should withdrawn and a new one lodged without naming anyone. However, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said that the investigation would be taken to its ‘logical end.’
A BJP leader Subramanian Swamy threatened Mehbooba Mufti to withdraw the FIR against the army otherwise her government would be toppled.
“What’s this nonsense? Dismiss that government. Tell Mehbooba (Mufti) to withdraw the FIR else her government would be toppled,” Swamy told ANI.
