CBI Inquiry Sought Into Alleged Custodial Torture, Death Of Jammu And Kashmir Resident

Former Advocate General M.A. Goni along with senior lawyers demanded CBI probe into Makhan Din’s alleged custodial torture and death, calling local inquiries a ‘farce’.

Jammu: Former Advocate General of Jammu and Kashmir, Muhammad Aslam Goni, has demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged custodial torture and death of Makhan Din from Perody, Billawar, in Kathua district.

Talking to media persons on the lawns of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Goni, accompanied by a group of senior lawyers from Jammu, stated that an FIR should have been registered immediately after the video of the deceased surfaced.

“We demand immediate registration of an FIR in the custodial torture and death of Makhan Din and the entrustment of the investigation to the country’s premier investigating agency, the CBI, to ensure a fair, impartial, and pressure-free probe,” Goni said.

The former Advocate General expressed deep anguish over the dying declaration of the 25-year-old tribal youth, who, while inside a mosque, placed the Holy Quran on his head and denied any links to subversive activities as alleged by the police. In a video recorded before ending his life, he blamed the police for subjecting him to third-degree torture and maintained his innocence.

“The video footage of the deceased is sufficient for registering a criminal case against those responsible for torturing Makhan Din. However, in a cover-up exercise, the Kathua district administration has ordered a magisterial probe by the Naib-Tehsildar, in addition to a departmental inquiry by the DIG of the range,” he added.

Goni criticised the credibility of internal inquiries, calling them an eyewash and an attempt to shield the culprits while suppressing the truth.

Referring to several Supreme Court judgments on custodial torture, the senior counsel remarked, “Only an impartial and independent probe will expose the larger conspiracy at play. This magisterial probe is a farce.”

He also praised Bani MLA Dr Rameshwar Thakur for standing with the victim’s family and reiterated the demand for an immediate FIR in the case of custodial torture and the subsequent death of Makhan Din.