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Court to decide application on cross examination

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 5/30/2013 9:01:30 AM

SRINAGAR, May 29: A city court will decide the maintainability of an application filed by lawyer of the accused in Srinagar Acid Attack case seeking further cross examination of the victim girl, on last day of this month.
Advocate Mushtaq Ahmad Dar, the defense lawyer had filed an application seeking further cross examination of a girl who sustained severe burn injuries after the accused Reyaz Nath, poured acid on her face and body four months ago.
The case was committed to the court of principal district and session’s judge on February 19, 2013, said Senior Public Prosecutor Abdul Aziz Teli, adding that it is in the history of prosecution in lower court that all the evidence has been concluded in just 51 days. “Now the court has directed the accused to be present on next Tuesday and the whole prosecution evidence will be put to him on that day,” Teli informed.
While seeking the maximum of life imprisonment for the accused, police had charged Nath under various sections of RPC, including attempt to murder and outraging modesty of a local woman who is presently undergoing treatment at Apollo hospital in Delhi.
The charge sheet filed by Afaq Ahmad, Chief Prosecuting Officer (CPO) filed before a subordinate judge was later committed to the session’s court for a formal trial. The chargesheet has identified the accused as Reyaz Ahmad Nath, son of Ghulam Rasool Nath, a resident of Maisuma Colony Chanpora.
In its more than 60 pages chargesheet, the police has charged the accused with section 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (causing grievous hurt), 354 (outraging modesty) and 341 (wrongful restraint). The chargesheet includes statements of 16 witnesses including that of the victim, besides crucial forensic reports.
As the chargesheet was supposed to be filed before the Chief Judicial Magistrate who is presently on leave, the same was produced before the municipal magistrate who later transferred it to second munsif.
On January 2, Nath had allegedly approached a woman—a resident of Baghat Barzulla, and poured acid on her near her home. The victim suffered burn injuries on the face and arm and was admitted to SMHS hospital. Nath was arrested by police within hours after the attack.
The attack had evoked condemnation from all sections of society and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national spokesman Dr Sameer Kaul was first to offer medical aid and other expenses covering treatment of the victim at Apollo Hospital. However, the state government followed Koul’s call and made the same offer. Meanwhile, a senior government official said that the victim has been offered a government job in the school Education Department on compassionate grounds. The job has been however, offered in relaxation of the rules and the School Education Department is likely to issue formal orders for her posting within next few days.
Pertinently, the Supreme Court on February 6 said the ordinance promulgated after Nirbhaya's gang rape providing for minimum 10 years sentence to acid attack offenders will not be enough as long as statutory provisions are not in place to treat, rehabilitate and compensate acid attack victims.