Court closes Andrabi custodial death case

The Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Srinagar on Tuesday closed the high profile Jalil Andrabi custodial killing case after the prosecution confirmed and authenticated the death of the prime accused Major Avtar Singh. He had killed himself after shooting dead his wife and two children in California, US, on June 9, 2012.

CJM Rajeev Gupta in his order said that the certificates record the date of death of the accused as June 9, 2012. He had earlier asked the prosecution to confirm and authenticate Singh's death in the US.

"The particulars, as are mentioned in the certificates, support the facts about the death of the accused. The facts recorded in the certificates also confirm to the identity of the accused as recorded in the chargesheet,'' the CJM observed.He said that from the circumstances, the court is convinced that the accused has died on June 9, 2012. "Accordingly the proceedings against the accused are dropped and the file is consigned to the records", the CJM said.

Noted human rights activist Jaleel Andrabi was picked up by the Army on March 8, 1996, and allegedly killed in custody. Major Avtar Singh, who led the soldiers, was the prime accused in the case.

Brother of Jaleel, Arshid Andrabi had filed a case against Singh in the court. Soon after the death of Singh, prosecution had informed the court about the incident. The Interpol on the directions of court had issued a red corner notice on Singh on February 6, 2010.

The court had then asked the state government and Ministry of Foreign Affairs to seek his extradition. Even a file on Singh's extradition was submitted to the Ministry of External Affairs. However, Jaleel Andrabi's family said the notice was never executed.

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