Court denies bail to Peer, 16 others

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Feb 22:  The Special Judge Anti Corruption Srinagar today rejected bail to former chairman of Board of Professional Entrance Examination (BOPEE), Mushtaq Ahmad Peer, and 16 others including students who were fraudulently selected for MBBS course.
Special Judge Anti Corruption Srinagar, Mohan Lal Manhas, today rejected bail application of Mushtaq Ahmad Peer, Sajjad Ahmad Bhat, Bilal Ahmad Vaid, Mushtaq Ahmad Lone, Ghulam Mohidin Lone, Yasir Yusuf Dar, Mohammad Yusuf Dar, Khursheed Ahmad Dar, Bashir Ahmad Dar, Abdul Qadir Rather, Yasir Yusuf Hajam, Naveed Ahmad Bhat, Ghulam Nabi Bhat, Farooq Ahmad Shah, Mohammad Shafi Band, Ahmad Faraz and Mohammad Iqbal Reshi.
The court said that these accused have failed to carve out a strong case for their bail. “The arguments rendered by the ld counsel for the accused being legally unsustainable are repelled, rejected and discarded”, the court order says.
The court while dismissing their bail application said: “Viewed this bail/petitions are disallowed, rejected and dismissed.”
The court said that the statement of the approver, Farooq Ahmad Itoo, is most vital piece of evidence for prosecution. “Approver is yet to testify before this court as prosecution witness as in the challan charges are yet to be framed against accused/petitioners. At this stage, if the accused/petitioners who have dared to indulge in the crime of such a magnitude, are released on bail, there is every possibility likelihood of accused/petitioners to extend threats/intimidate/ pressurize/ tamper the evidence of approver and therefore, it will be highly hazardous and dangerous to release accused/petitioner on bail at this stage which is sure to have rippling effect upon the fair trail of the case”, the order says.