Hawal Acid Case; Prosecution seek lifer for convict, Court reserves judgment
Mudasir Yaqoob
Srinagar, March 4: Srinagar Court on Tuesday reserved the judgement on quantum of punishment in acid attack case on the 24-year old girl at Hawal Srinagar in 2022.
While referring to various provisions of law and Supreme Court judgements, the prosecution prayed for the life sentence for convict.
Court has convicted the main accused Sajid Altaf Rather S/o Muhammad Altaf Rather R/o Buchwara Dalgate and today the case was listed for arguments on quantum of punishment.
After hearing public prosecutor Ajaz Ahmad and defence counsel, the Court of Principal District Sessions Court, Srinagar, presided over by Jawad Ahmad reserved the judgment for Wednesday.
Mir Naveed Gul Panel Lawyer representing victim assigned by District Legal Services Authority, Srinagar, submitted that the victim has undergone 23 surgeries and more than Rs. 48 Lakhs have been utilized on her medical procedures. “Still there is no hope if she would recover from the acid injuries and get her normal eye-sight back,” he pleaded.
He further submitted that the family of victim has sold residential house to meet the medical expenses, adding “She deserves to be compensated besides awarding life sentence to convict. Justice should not only be done but it should be seen to have been done, is a fundamental of principles of natural justice.”
“Prosecution has vehemently pleaded today for maximum punishment for convict and referred relevant provisions of law and Supreme Court judgements to support its arguments,” advocate Gul told ANN News.
On 2 February 2022, Police had arrested three persons, including the main accused, for throwing acid on a girl in the city last evening.
Police Station Nowhatta registered the case vide FIR number 8/22 after a 24 year old girl in Hawal area was attacked with acid.
As the case was of heinous nature, SSP Srinagar immediately formed a Special investigation team with the then SP North Raja Zuhaib as Chairman and SDPO Khanyar, SHO Nowhatta, SHO Safakadal and SHO Women PS as members.
Police arrested Sajid Altaf Rather S/o Mohd Altaf Rather R/o Buchwara Dalgate.
As per prosecution, the initial investigation revealed that Rather was having interest in the girl and since she had rejected his engagement proposal, he had been stalking her.
Defence Council advocate Aamir Masoodi sought minimum punishment for the convict.
He submitted that the Court cannot get driven by emotions and “the remit of the court is to deliver judgments in accordance with the law. it is not the job of the court to send messages to the society.”
“Man is born well and criminality is curable,” he submitted before court while resting his arguments.
