Asif Iqbal Naik
EARLY TIMES REPORT
Kishtwar, Feb 20: Srinagar Court on Saturday acquitted Juveniles in Conflict with Law (JCL) in a Board of Professional Entrance Examination (BOPEE) paper scam case of 2012.
As per the details available with Early Times, after hearing prosecution and defence counsel, the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) Srinagar presided over by Principal Magistrate Touseef Ahmad Magray and Members Dr Khair-ul-Nissa and Dr Asima Hassan said that nothing incriminating has been brought on record against the JCL.
The chargesheet in the case was submitted before Court in 2014 and JCL got acquittal after the trial of around Seven Years.
“Keeping in view the facts and circumstance of the case and also keeping in view the fact that there is no incriminating evidence against the JCL on record which can be put to them, the examination of JCL under Section 342 CrPC (power of court to examine the accused with respect to incriminating evidence) is dispensed with,” the Court said.
“Juvenile in Conflict with Law are accordingly acquitted of the charges with respect to commission of offences under Section 5(1)(d) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Section 420, read with 120-B RPC,” Court said.
The court added that the bail and surety bonds furnished on behalf of the JCL stand cancelled and discharged.
“Seizure, if any, be released in favour of the rightful claimant. Seizure, if not worth to release, shall be disposed of under the supervision of Additional Public Prosecutor of the Board. Charge sheet is disposed of, and after due compilation be consigned to record,” court said.
This is successive and last juvenile in BOPEE scam case who was acquitted. Earlier, the JJB has acquitted five juveniles in the case. Of the total 60 accused persons in the case, six juveniles were tried by Juvenile Justice Board headed by Mr. Touseef Ahmad Magray and other 54 faced trial by Special Anti-Corruption Court, Srinagar.
On 28 April 2018, Mushtaq Ahmad Peer, a former chairman of Board of Professional Entrance Examination (BOPEE), was sentenced to 16 years in prison and fined Rs 1 crore in this multi-crore cash-for-paper scam.
Sajad Ahmad Bhat, who brokered between Peer and students, was sentenced to 12 years in jail and fined Rs 50 lakh by Special Anti-Corruption Court, Srinagar.
Of the total 54 accused persons in the case, 46 were convicted and eight acquitted by Special Anti-Corruption Court, Srinagar in 2018.
Among the convicts were students and their parents who were sentenced to one year and six years respectively.
However, six students who were below the age of eighteen years were tried before JJB. All the juveniles with today’s judgement stand acquitted. |
