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NIA denies reports linking it to custodial death of man detained in connection with Pulwama attack

“The deceased was not examined by the probe agency,” said the NIA in a statement, adding that the man was neither called for questioning nor was he examined at any other location in connection with cases being investigated by the agency.

Statesman News Service | Jammu | March 19, 2019 8:30 pm

NIA denies reports linking it to custodial death of man detained in connection with Pulwama attack

Representational Image. (Photo: iStock)

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday denied that Rizwan Pandith, who died in police custody, was being interrogated by the agency.

“The deceased was not examined by the probe agency,” said the NIA in a statement.

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“NIA emphatically denies reports linking NIA with Rizwan Ahmed resident of Awantipora,” the probe agency said.

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“He was neither called for questioning nor was he examined at any other location in connection with cases being investigated by NIA,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, separatists have called for shutdown in Kashmir on Wednesday to protest against Rizwan’s death in police custody.

Earlier today, violence erupted in downtown Srinagar and Awantipura areas when Pandith, who was detained for interrogation in connection with the Pulwama terror attack, died in police custody on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old worked as a teacher at a private school. Police said that he was an activist of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami in the Pulwama area of South Kashmir.

Rizwan was picked up by the police three days ago in connection with the attack which killed 44 CRPF personnel. He died around midnight yesterday.

A magisterial inquiry under Section 176 CRPC has been ordered into his death.

IGP (Kashmir zone) SP Pani confirmed that Rizwan died in police custody and the cause of his death was being investigated. The police, too, separately initiated a probe in the jurisdictional area of incident.

Incidents of stone-pelting were reported in downtown Srinagar and Awantipura as news about death of the teacher spread. Police fired teargas shells to disperse the stone-pelters, who were demanding action against the NIA and policemen interrogating Rizwan.

Reacting to the death, National Conference chief Omar Abdullah tweeted, “I had hoped custodial deaths were a thing of our dark past. This is an unacceptable development & must be investigated in a transparent, time-bound manner. Exemplary punishment must be handed out to the killers of this young man.”

In another tweet, Omar said, “Midnight raids, crackdowns, rampant arrests, custodial murders, denial of democratic right to choose a government. Kashmir continues to suffer the fallout of the disastrous PDP-BJP alliance and from the Modi government’s muscular approach to J&K.”

PDP chief and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti tweeted, “Innocent men hauled up from their homes for interrogation return home only in coffins now. GOI’s repressive approach leaves young educated men vulnerable who are forces to take up arms. Stop using Kashmir to exhibit your sick chauvinistic nationalism. We have suffered enough.”

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The Kerala High Court, on Thursday, granted bail to M K Nasar, one of the individuals convicted by the special NIA court last year in the case of chopping the hands of Professor T J Joseph in 2010. A division bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan and Justice P V Balakrishnan suspended Nasar’s sentence and granted conditional bail to him after considering his appeal against the NIA court’s conviction in the case Considering the prolonged detention and citing the potential for trial delays, the court suspended Nasar’s sentence and granted conditional bail, taking into account that some co-accused with similar allegations had already been released after serving shorter terms. The court noted that he had already spent nine years in jail and that delays in resolving appeals could justify suspending a convict’s prison term. It also observed that other accused in the case had received lesser sentences and had already been released after serving their terms. “The applicant has been undergoing incarceration, at the pre-conviction and post-conviction phases, for over 9 years. Furthermore, the fact that the accused facing the same allegations were earlier imposed a lesser term of imprisonment and have been released after having undergone the sentence is a factor that cannot be ignored. Additionally, the appeals filed by the NIA against the findings of the learned Sessions Judge are being considered in separate appeals, which have not yet been taken up. “There is also the likelihood of delay, as the prime accused has surrendered, and the learned Sessions Judge may have to take up the trial and dispose of it in accordance with the law and some of the original records may be required for that purpose. In view of these facts and circumstances, we are of the considered opinion that the sentence imposed on the applicant can be suspended pending the consideration of the appeal.” The court said The court, however, imposed strict conditions for Nasar’s bail. He is not supposed to provide a bond of Rs 1 lakh with two sureties, refrain from leaving the country without the court’s permission, avoid interfering with the trial or witnesses, and not commit similar offences while on bail The gruesome incident dates back to July 4, 2010, when Joseph, a professor at Newman College, Thodupuzha, was returning from Sunday mass with his family, members of the now-banned Popular Front of India (PFI) attacked him, allegedly in retaliation for a question paper he set, which contained a passage that they claimed insulted Prophet Mohammed was derogatory. His right hand was chopped off in this attack. Nasar was accused of playing a critical role in the attack. Investigations revealed his involvement in recruiting gang members, assigning specific tasks, collecting funds, procuring communication devices, and maintaining communication links with key conspirators.

The Kerala High Court, on Thursday, granted bail to M K Nasar, one of the individuals convicted by the special NIA court last year in the case of chopping the hands of Professor T J Joseph in 2010.