SC directs J&K police to complete probe in constable's death

The Supreme Court today asked the Jammu and Kashmir Police to place its final report on the probe into the death of constable Sameer Bhat who had allegedly gone missing on May 14 this year.
A bench of Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud took note of the submission of the state government that the probe into the Bhat murder case was likely to be completed within four weeks.
The state police made the submission on court's query regarding the time it needed to complete the probe.
The state government also said it was in the process of filing a supplementary charge sheet in the lower court in a day or two.

"Investigation is likely to be completed in four weeks. Let the investigation be completed and final report be submitted before this court," the bench said and posted the matter after four weeks.
The court also rejected the petitioner's plea that he should be given a copy of the status report filed by the police in a sealed cover.

The court had on July 17 directed the state police to file a fresh report in four weeks giving details of the probe conducted in the case so far.
It had also perused a report filed by the police earlier and said there was nothing in it except a confessional statement of an accused.

The constable went missing after leaving Kupwara town in Kashmir for Srinagar and is alleged to have been killed by his colleague, Special Police Officer Eijaz Ahmed, to avenge an alleged sexual assault.
A vacation bench of the apex court had on June 19 asked the state Director General of Police to file a fresh status report as it was not satisfied with the one filed that day.
M K Pandita, who has sought an independent probe into the constable's death, had said there was foul play in the policeman's killing. Bhat's body was recovered on June 7, 21 days after he went missing.

The apex court had on June 8 issued notice to the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir Police on the plea of Pandita, who also hails from Kupwara, and sought the status report.
Pandita, who had earlier filed the plea to trace the missing constable, has alleged that DIG Ghulam Hassan Bhat on May 31 had came out with a version saying that the SPO had allegedly confessed to killing Sameer as the latter had sexually assaulted him on May 13.