KL Report
SRINAGAR
Congress leader and former Health Minister Shabir Ahmad Khan Tuesday appeared before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar in a case of alleged sexual assault on a lady doctor in February this year.
The counsel for complainant lady doctor, Advocate Rafiq Ahmed Joo submitted an application before the court seeking stay of proceedings in the case till the decision of the Supreme Court of India on Petition for Special Leave (PSL) filed by the victim lady doctor is not taken.
The Court furnished the copy of the said application to the accused Shabir Ahmed Khan son of Sakhi Villayat Khan resident of Manjhikot Rajouri for filing his objections.
The counsel for the accused former Congress Minister, Advocate Muhammad Abdullah Pandith and Advocate Naqashbandh filed an application before the court alleging that the challan in the case was presented by police in the absence of the accused without informing him and therefore the application may be placed on record.
The counsel for the complainant argued the bail of the accused be cancelled for violation of the terms and conditions that were imposed upon the accused by the Court while granting him bail. He argued that even Investigating Officer of the case has admitted in the challan that the accused is not rendering cooperation for the presentation of challan and therefore the police had no option but to present the challan before the court.
After concluding investigation into the case, officials of Police Station Shaheed Gunj had presented the charge-sheet before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar, Vinrendar Sing Bhau on April 3 this year and subsequently, the court had issued notice to the accused, seeking his presence on next date of hearing on May 6 and had directed DIG Rajouri- Poonch and DIG Jammu Range to serve the same to the accused. The case has been listed for next hearing on May 16.
Former Health Minister Shabir Khan was booked by police in February this year after a lady doctor lodged a complaint with Police Station Shaheed Gunj accusing Khan of molestation in his office at Civil Secretariat here.
Khan was booked under sections 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of Ranbir Penal Code.
The High Court had granted Khan interim bail and directed the Investigating Officer to release the accused against personal and surety bonds, if he was arrested. The bail was made absolute later.
The FIR against former Health minister had revealed in detail the questionable approach of the accused towards the victim before she managed to escape from Khan’s office.
According to the FIR, Khan had insisted the doctor to meet him at his guest house and share her mobile number and take up “any of her problems” directly with him.
The doctor had described the Minister’s action as that of a “sexual predator who wanted to bestow upon me special treatment with an intention to receive sexual favors.”
The FIR had revealed that the acts of the minister were sufficient to indicate that the favors which he made and wanted to bestow upon the complainant were made (with) intentions to receive sexual favors, and the incident has not only affected the person of the complainant but her soul too.
The FIR had revealed that the minister had directed the complainant to write down her mobile number on a piece of paper and note down his number while insisting that whenever she had any problem she should correspond directly with him and not discuss anything with Director Health Services Kashmir.
The FIR further revealed that the minister had assured her that whenever she would come to him he would solve all her problems, asking the doctor to keep in touch with him. (CNS)
