Centre orders trial of Udhampur attack case by 2nd Additional District and Sessions Judge Jammu | KNO

Kashmir News Observer (KNO)

Srinagar, June 26 (KNO): The Government of India (GoI) has designated the Court of 2nd additional district & sessions Judge at Jammu as the Special Court for conducting the trial of Udhampur attack case. According to a notification issued by the GoI after consultation with Chief Justice of J&K High Court, the trial of the case would be conducted in the Court of 2nd Additional District & Sessions Judge at Jammu only till the present Judge is officiating in the NIA Special Court, Jammu. “In exercise of the powers conferred by section 11 of the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008 (34 of 2008), the Central Government in consultation with the Hon’ble Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir, hereby designates the Court of 2nd Additional District & Sessions Judge at Jammu as the Special Court for the purpose of sub-section (1) of section 11 of the above said Act for conducting the trial of Case No. RC-08/2015/NIA/DLI, only till the present Judge is officiating in the NIA Special Court, Jammu, published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part-II, Section 3, Sub-section (ii), vide number S.O. 4154 (E), dated the 18th November, 2019,” reads the notification, a copy of which is available with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) The move comes as S Gupta, judge officiating in the NIA special court Jammu, had recorded the statements under section 164 CrPC relating to the attack when he was Chief Judicial Magistrate. On August 5, 2015, a BSF convoy was ambushed by militants at Udhampur on Srinagar- Jammu highway. Two BSF personnel were killed and 13 sustained injuries due to the indiscriminate firing by militants. On directives of GoI, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over investigation of the attack and re- registered the case on 07-07-2015 at NIA Police Station, New Delhi as case No. RC-08/2015/NIA/DLI under sections 120, 120B, 302, 307 of Ranbir Penal Code, Section 7, 27 of Arms Act and section 15, 16 of UA(P) Act. On 28 January, 2016, NIA had presented charge-sheet against eight accused including the militant who was captured locals alive after the attack—(KNO)