In a major relief to three of the accused in the Srinagar sex abuse case — former additional advocate general Anil Sethi, DIG BSF K C Padhi and deputy superintendent of police Mohammad Ashraf Mir — a Chandigarh Sessions Judge, Kewal Krishan Garg, has rejected CBI’s plea for framing additional charges under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act against them.

Dismissing the CBI’s application, the judge held that no case could be made against them under Section 5 of the Act, as the accused had not procured or induced anyone for the purpose of prostitution.

The three had been charged with immoral trafficking in a case filed in the Srinagar Shaheed Gunj police station in 2006. The case is being heard in the Chandigarh Sessions Court at present.

In his recent order, Sessions Judge Garg ruled that no case could be filed against the accused under the Act. He said a perusal of the witnesses’ statements showed that Sethi had not procured witness 55 for the purpose of prostitution. He further said Padhi and Mir had also not procured or induced witnesses 38, 39, 55 or 56 for the same purpose.

The statements of these witnesses were recorded by the CBI during the course of their investigation. The prosecution has alleged that these girls were taken to the accused by one Sabeena, the kingpin of the sex racket. On the basis of these observations, the court dismissed the application filed by special public prosecutor for framing additional charges against the accused.