Alleged associate of militant acquitted after 21 yrs long investigation, trial

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 28: Presiding Officer TADA/POTA Court, Sanjeev Gupta has acquitted one Joginder Singh alias Doga, an alleged associate of militant Pritam Singh alias Billa after 21 years long investigation and trial as prosecution failed to connect the co-accused with the crime.
According to the police case, on September 22, 1992 Pritam Singh, who was having link with Mohinder Singh alias Pappi, a dreaded terrorist, was arrested along with arms and ammunition after exchange of fire with the police personnel in Kunjwani area.
Accordingly, a case under TADA Act was registered and after completion of investigation challan was presented in the court of law. The associate of arrested terrorist—Joginder Singh alias Doga, who was also allegedly involved in 1992 incident and was absconding since then, was arrested on December 20, 2012 and produced before the court, which sent him to District Jail.
Presiding Officer TADA/POTA observed, “the confession statement of accused Pritam Singh alias Billa (now died) which was recorded by the Dr SP Vaid, the then SP City Jammu during the investigation of the case did not show that accused Joginder Singh was having any links with terrorist organization or he was involved in activities relating to striking terror in the society by use of arms and ammunition”.
“On consideration of the totality of the facts and circumstances of the case, it would be highly unsafe to place reliance on testimony of police officials to convict the accused when there are so many infirmities, holes and launce in prosecution version”, the Court said while dismissing the prosecution case and acquitting the accused of the charges leveled against him.