Cancel Mufti govt's order withdrawing cases against stone-pelters: BJP leader to J-K guv

A BJP leader has requested Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra to revoke the erstwhile Mehbooba Mufti government's decision to take back several cases against stone-pelters in the Kashmir valley.

In a letter to the Governor, BJP leader and advocate Ajay Agrawal has said the then state government decided to withdraw these cases without taking consent of the individual paramilitary/army and other personnel who were the victims of stone-pelting incidents.

"As per media reports and the statements of various political parties and the outgoing chief minister, thousands of cases have been withdrawn by the Jammu and Kashmir government which were registered against the stone pelters.

"In these cases security forces, that is, CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CISF and Army personnel were the victims. These cases have been withdrawn without taking the consent of the individual paramilitary/army and other personnel. State has no power to withdraw a case in which injury was caused to an individual and his consent is not obtained prior to moving withdrawal of prosecution application by the state government, which is against the set procedure of the withdrawal of these criminal cases," Agrawal said in the letter.

He has requested the Governor to cancel the order in "the overall national interest".

"This is an act against the law and needs to be rectified immediately and order for withdrawal of cases be taken back. The orders may kindly be cancelled in the overall national interest as this is also in violation of law and ultra vires to the Constitution of India," Agrawal said.

Earlier in February, the Mehbooba Mufti Government had approved withdrawal of cases registered against 9,730 people involved in stone-pelting incidents, including first-time offenders, between 2008 and 2017.