Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 21: While the families of slain victims of the infamous Pathribal fake encounter in Kashmir refused to attend court marshal proceedings at Nagrota based 16 Corps, a defence spokesman claimed that it was just and fair to the victims’ families that the disciplinary proceedings be conducted by another commander.
The General Court Marshal proceedings of the case were earlier conducted in Srinagar and GOC 15 Corps (Chinar Corps) had contested the case on behalf of the accused persons right up to Supreme Court. The families of the slain civilians decided not to attend the proceedings as witnesses at Nagrota in Jammu. They had insisted on an open trial of the case besides shifting the bench to somewhere else close to their home in Kashmir.
The spokesman further said that Army initiated disciplinary proceedings against the accused Army officers in the alleged Pathribal fake encounter case. On the directions of Supreme Court, the Army had taken over the case from Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar and thereafter, attached these officers to its Nagrota based 16 Corps.
GOC 16 Corps, Lt Gen A S Nadal who had summoned five families of the slain victims to Nagrota, heard the charges framed by the CBI against the accused Army officers and directed Summary of Evidence to be recorded against them. Lt Gen Nadal heard the evidence CBI Inspector Ashok Kalra who had investigated the case. He also produced the challan which had been filed by the CBI before the officer CBI Court.
“All witnesses examined by the CBI during its investigation will now be summoned to appear before the officer recording summary of evidence. After the summary of evidence is recorded, the final charge-sheet will be prepared for the next stage of proceedings’’, the spokesman added.
The spokesman, however, refused to divulge the details of the proceedings. He said that he was not authorized to share any details. Only legal cell of the Unit can come out with the details after preparing draft and share it with media after seeking permission from the presiding officer, he added.
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