BY EOK NEWS DESK
Budgam, Dec 01: The Additional Sessions Judge (Fast Track), Aijaz Ahmad Khan, oversaw the trial in which Mushtaq Ahmad Pandit was found guilty of the 2011 murder of his wife, Sameera Jan. The court determined that the prosecution effectively proved Pandit’s culpability for the murder under Section 302 of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) equivalent of the Indian Penal Code, in Jammu and Kashmir before the reorganization of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories in 2019. Husband Convicted of Killing Wife in Budgam
The court’s decision followed a comprehensive review of the evidence and statements presented by the prosecution. It was highlighted that Pandit and the deceased were last seen together on the evening of May 1, 2011. This piece of evidence aligned with witness accounts and Pandit’s own acknowledgment that they were together on the day Sameera Jan attended a family wedding.
Despite Pandit’s insistence on his innocence and claims of false testimonies by witnesses, the court noted the absence of substantial evidence in Pandit’s defense. The judge stressed that Pandit had multiple opportunities to present his side of the case but opted not to do so.
“Even though opportunity was provided to accused, who has taken the defence of not being present on the spot on the day of occurrence has not been able to provide any circumstance to show that accused was not present on spot on the fateful day,” judge Aijaz Ahmad Khan said in his 90-page order.
The case initially surfaced when the police received credible information on May 1, 2011, indicating that Sameera Jan, who was married to the accused, had been murdered at their residence. Subsequently, during the investigation, her body was discovered in the house with multiple injuries and a knife lodged in her back, which was later retrieved during the post-mortem examination at SDH Chadoora.
At the time of the tragic incident, the deceased’s family members were reportedly attending a relative’s marriage function and were unaware of the occurrence.
The court had slated the file for sentencing arguments on November 23, 2023. With Pandit already in custody, the Superintendent of Central Jail Srinagar has been directed to ensure his presence at the next hearing.
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