Police remand of senior Kashmiri advocate extended by 6 days

Jammu, July 1 (IANS) A special court in Jammu on Monday extended the police custody of senior Kashmiri advocate Mian Qayoom by 6 days.

Mian Qayoom, who was associated with the separatist Hurriyat Conference, was arrested by the State Investigation Agency (SIA) in Srinagar on June 25 for his alleged involvement in the murder conspiracy of advocate Babar Qadri in 2020.

Qadri was fatally shot at his residence in the Hawal area of Srinagar in September 2020.

During the court proceedings, the NIA court judge noted that the investigation is still at an initial stage and further remand of the accused is necessary for the progress of the case.

"After considering the rival submissions of the parties, a perusal of the latest entries in the case diary and giving thoughtful consideration to the matter, it is noticed that the investigation of the case is still at an initial stage. Therefore, his further detention in the custody of the police is imperative as the investigation agency is required to be afforded an opportunity to elicit all the possible information from the accused for further progress of the investigation," Third Additional District and Sessions Judge (TADA/POTA), Jatinder Singh Jamwal said in his two-page order.

Qayoom pleaded his own case and opposed the extension of his police remand, citing his health condition and stating that he requires regular medical care, including insulin dosage.

Despite his pleas, the court granted the extension of his police remand until July 6 directing adequate medical care for the accused.

The prosecution had argued that the accused is not cooperating fully with the investigation and further detention is essential to gather more information related to the case.

The accused was brought to Jammu immediately after his arrest and produced before the court. The case was transferred from Srinagar to Jammu earlier this year.

Before his murder, Qadri used to frequently appear on television debates. He said before his death that Mian Qayoom was planning his murder. After his murder, police conducted searches at Mian Qayoom's residences and two other lawyers in Srinagar, seizing various digital devices, bank statements and documents, as part of the ongoing probe.

Last September, the SIA announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for any information leading to a solution to Qadri's murder. The police alleged the involvement of Saqib Manzoor, a Lashkar-e-Taiba commander, in Qadri's killing. That LeT commander was killed during a police encounter in Srinagar along with another militant commander in 2022.

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