Srinagar court directs police to file status report in Maj Gogoi case

Ishfaq Tantry

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 26

The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Srinagar, has directed J&K Police to file a report on the investigation of the Srinagar hotel fracas involving army officer Major Leetul Gogoi, who was seen with a local girl and let free after brief detention by police.

The directions have been passed by the court as the police are yet to file an FIR into the incident that took place at a Srinagar hotel on Wednesday.

As reported exclusively by The Tribune, J&K Police has recorded the statement of the girl hailing from Budgam district before a magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC besides that of the hotel manager.

The Chief of Army Staff has already promised strict punishment in case Gogoi were found guilty; the army has also ordered a Court of Inquiry.

In his petition before the CJM, human rights activist M Ahsan Untoo, who is also the Chairman of the International Forum for Justice and Human Rights, has submitted that police were yet to register an FIR in the case.

“Astonishingly only after an hour, police let free Major Gogoi, associate Sameer Malla and also the girl without following the due procedure of law,” he has submitted  while raising questions over the conduct of the police.

Saying the police had acted in a “most mechanical and casual manner”, Untoo submitted that the role played by the police in the “sensitive matter” is “alien to law”.

Entertaining the application, the CJM directed the SHO concerned to file the report by May 30.