The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh Saturday directed the trial court to take all necessary measures for ensuring the examination of the witnesses in 2003 Nadimarg massacre of Kashmiri pandits.
Allowing a revision petition filed by the prosecution (police station, Zainapora), the court directed the trial court to ensure expeditious proceedings so as to conclude the matter at the earliest.
Setting aside a trial court order, Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul allowed the application for issuance of commission for examination of witnesses moved by the prosecution-State.
“The court below shall now take all the necessary measures for ensuring the examination of the witnesses concerned by issuing commission and/or recording their statement videoconferencing,” the court directed.
Previously, the court had recalled its order passed in December 2011 wherein it had upheld the trial court order dismissing a plea by prosecution (government) seeking examination of witnesses on Commission.
In 2003, at least 24 persons including women and children belonging to the minority community were killed in a cold blood by a group of gunmen wearing army fatigues at village Nadimarg, Pulwama.
The challan of the case was filed against seven accused persons including the then LeT commander, Zia Mustafa, who was killed in an encounter in October last year, and six police personal, who were charged for commission of offences under Sections 302, 450, 395, 307, 120-B, 326, 427 RPC, 7/27 Arms Act and Section 30 Police Act at Police Station, Zainapora.
