Nearly 34 years after the incident, the State Investigation Agency (SIA) in Jammu and Kashmir has solicited information from the general public in an attempt to uncover the larger criminal conspiracy behind the murder of retired judge Neelkanth Ganjoo. Justice Ganjoo was killed on November 4, 1989, in Srinagar by terrorists belonging to Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF). This came after Justice Ganjoo had sentenced JKLF founder Maqbool Bhat to death in 1968 whose execution was subsequently carried out in 1984.
In a statement, the SIA appealed everyone who was familiar with the facts or circumstances surrounding the murder of Justice Ganjoo to come forward and offer any account of events that had a direct or indirect influence on the inquiry. “Identity of all such persons shall be kept completely hidden and protected; all useful and relevant information shall be suitably rewarded," the statement reads.
J-K witnessed several political assassinations in 1989
The year 1989, which marked the commencement of the Kashmir insurgency, saw a number of political assassinations, including that of National Conference member Muhammad Yusuf Halwai, retired Justice Neelkanth Ganjoo, and others. Earlier in May this year, Jammu and Kashmir Police nabbed two suspects in the killing of Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq, who was slain by terrorists at his Nigeen residence on May 21, 1990.
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Special Director General of Police's statement
Holding a rare press conference, Special Director General of Police (CID) RR Swain stated that Mirwaiz was killed on May 21, 1990 and that the case was registered at the Nageen police station in Srinagar and afterwards handed over to the CBI. The CBI submitted a chargesheet after investigating the case, and one of the accused, Ayub Dar, was convicted by the court. The court sentenced him to life in prison.
Swain also added that it came to the fore during the investigation that five people were involved in the case and the main accused Abdullah Bangroo and Rehman Shigan were killed in an encounter while they were on the run. Two others, Javaid Bhat and Zahoor Bhat, were also on the run and were also arrested. “And with it, after 32 years, long arms of the justice have caught them,” he added.
(With PTI inputs)
