NEW DELHI: The Indian Army’s General Court Martial (GCM) recommendation of life imprisonment for a Captain and two others has been sent for technical evaluation. “Keeping the aspects of fair trials and objective process the complete trial report of the GCM has been sent for technical evaluation,” sources confirmed.
“It is a sensitive case and the Army doesn’t want to keep any loophole so that it is not found wanting if the case is challenged further. The scrutiny of the process and statements is done with a purpose of re-evaluation to “give a fair chance to those against whom the punishment has been recommended, which evaluates even the quantum of punishment,” the sources added.
It was ascertained that there was a violation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).
The case relates to an encounter in 2020 in Amshipora in Shopian district in Jammu and Kashmir. Indian Army’s troops under the command of Captain Bhoopendra Singh had claimed to have killed three terrorists and reports of recovery of weapons from the place of encounter was also shown.
But the relatives of the three youth killed in an encounter on July 18, 2020, approached police saying that the three were labourers and had travelled on foot to Srinagar in search of a job. The three youths, Imtiyaz Ahmed (20), Abrar Ahmed (25) and Mohammed Abrar (16), were from Jammu’s Rajouri district.
The J&K Police set up an SIT, which filed a charge sheet which found three persons, including Captain Singh, “staging” the encounter. The Army initiated a Court of Inquiry which confirmed in September 2020 that the three youth claimed to be killed in the encounter were the labourers.
Their identities were further confirmed by DNA tests. Going ahead the Army conducted a Summary of Evidence. “The technical evaluation might take another month or two and once the technical evaluation of the GCM recommendations is complete it will be sent to the senior officers,” sources said.
The life sentence is subject to confirmation by higher army authorities, the officials said. The Srinagar-based Corps Commander and the Commander in Chief of the Northern Command will be apprised of the case further once the evaluation is complete, officials said.
‘AFSPA violated’
It was ascertained that there was a violation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).
According to sources, once the technical evaluation of the court martial’s recommendations – which may take a month or two – is complete it will be sent to the senior officers