Srinagar acid attack case: Court records statement of prime accused, next hearing on Dec 29

It is learnt that the court asked 55 questions to the prime accused in the February 1 acid attack as per the provisions of law under which the court gives the accused a chance of defence after the prosecution presents the evidence and the court finds incriminating evidence against the accused.

Srinagar (J&K): A Srinagar court on Monday recorded the statement of the prime accused in the acid attack on a girl in February 2022 after incriminating material was found against him during the trial, sources said. The court recorded the statement of the prime accused Sajjad Ahmed Rather as 55 questions were asked by the prosecution.

The accused was represented by advocate Amir Masoodi, who was recently appointed as his lawyer. The hearing of the case in the court is going on on a fast-track basis and the next hearing will be held on December 29. Speaking to ETV Bharat, Masoodi said under the provisions of law, the court gives the accused a chance of defence after the prosecution presents the evidence and the court finds incriminating evidence against the accused.

“To enable the accused personally to explain the circumstances, the court asked him such questions as the court may close the case based on the arguments by the prosecution," he said. It may be recalled on February 1 this year, the 24-year-old girl was attacked with acid outside her house in the Wantpora area of Srinagar and suffered severe burns on her face.

Police arrested three accused and sealed a shop for the illegal sale of acid in the case. After preliminary investigation and technical analysis, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by Superintendent of Police Raja Zuhaib said that the victim, who hails from the Eidgah area of Srinagar, had rejected the accused's proposal of engagement after which the accused started stalking her.

According to the prosecution, on February 1, the accused took a break from work and went on a two-wheeler to the place where the girl worked. The victim was returning home in the evening when acid was thrown at her by the accused. The Jammu and Kashmir police had filed a 1,000-page charge sheet against three persons - Rather and Muhammad Saleem Kumar alias Tota and a juvenile- for voluntarily causing grievous injuries to the victim with acid.