Thaindian News

Srinagar, Sep 11 (IANS) The Jammu and Kashmir High Court Friday gave bail to four police officers, arrested for negligence of duty and destruction of vital evidence in the Shopian twin rape and murder case.
Justice Sunil Hali asked the accused to deposit Rs.50,000 each.

The police officers, including then district police chief, a deputy superintendent of police, an inspector and a sub-inspector, have also been asked not to leave the state without prior permission of the court.

They have also been ordered not to enter the south Kashmir districts of Shopian and Pulwama.

The police officials were suspended by the government and later arrested for dereliction of duty and destroying key evidences in the rape and murder of Nilofar Jan, 22, and her 17-year-old sister-in-law Asiya. The two victims were found dead near a stream in Shopian town May 30.

The incident triggered widespread public outrage across the valley as it snowballed into a major controversy after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah initially ruled out a possible foul play saying the women had drowned.

But he later retracted and said he was misinformed by the district administration and a probe was ordered. The case will now be probed by the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI).

The court also expressed concern over the alleged fudging of the vaginal swabs of the victims as reported by the forensic laboratory in New Delhi where the samples had been sent for DNA mapping.