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Ishrat S Banwait
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 6
A special court on Wednesday sentenced five convicts—two high-ranking police officers among them—to 10 years imprisonment for raping a minor in a 12-year-old case from Jammu & Kashmir.
KC Padhi, a former deputy inspector general of the Border Security Force, and Mohammad Ashraf Mir, former deputy superintendent of police, were among those who were found guilty in a case that dated back to 2006.
The case, known as the J&K sex scandal, made news headlines when police came across CDs of two minor girls sexually exploited in 2006. When questioned, the victims lead investigators to the racket’s kingpin Sabeena, who died when she was still being tried.
A prosecutrix in the case claimed she approached Sabeena for financial help, and the latter gave her a sedative-laced drink and forced her to indulge in sexual acts, a charge sheet in the case said. The victim was given Rs 500 the first time.
Investigations led police to 56 people, some of them high profile men of power, such as ministers and policemen.
Supreme Court transferred the case to Chandigarh later in 2006.
Former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah resigned from his position in July 2009 when his name came up during investigations. The Central Bureau of Investigation however later cleared him of the charges.
Several suspects were acquitted as trial progressed for lack of evidence and witnesses turning hostile.
TIMELINE
April 2006: Case comes to light as video CD surfaces
May 2006: Case transferred to CBI
September 2006: Case transferred to Chandigarh
April 2007: Examination of witnesses begins
July 2009: Omar Abdullah quits as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir
May 30, 2018: Five held guilty, two acquitted
June 6, 2018: All five get 10-year jail
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