Kulgam, July 17: A local court in Kulgam on Thursday convicted a woman and her lover in a decade old murder case involving the killing of woman’s husband.
The case dates back to December 2013 when the deceased was found hanging under suspicious circumstances.
According to court judgement assesed, Abdul Rashid Dar was found dead, hanging from a tree near his home in Modergam. Initially suspected as a suicide, a postmortem revealed a broken neck, bruised private parts, and signs of forced suffocation, leading the police to register an FIR under Section 302 RPC.
During the investigation, it emerged that accused Ali Mohammad Dar and Muzamila wife of the deceased had an illicit relationship. They allegedly conspired to eliminate Abdul Rashid Dar. According to disclosures, on the day of the crime, the deceased was given sedatives in milk, after which his private parts were squeezed and mouth and nose smothered, causing death.
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On interrogation, Ali Mohammad Dar led police to key evidence including a Nokia phone, a strip of sedative tablets (Anxit 0.05), a black dupatta, and a steel glass—items used in the crime. Similarly, Muzamila also confessed to her role in the plan and corroborated Ali’s disclosure. Both mobile SIMs used for planning the crime were also registered in Ali’s name.
During the trial, more than 30 prosecution witnesses were examined. Though some turned hostile, key testimonies and circumstantial evidence helped the court build the conspiracy chain. Several neighbors confirmed the suspicious nature of the couple’s relationship and their meetings before the murder.
Referring to Section 120-A and 120-B RPC, the court observed that a criminal conspiracy requires only proof of an agreement to commit an offence, not necessarily the overt act. It relied heavily on circumstantial evidence to establish the conspiracy.
The court noted that both accused failed to establish their innocence. While Ali Mohammad claimed he was not at the spot, he could not provide any alibi. Muzamila, too, did not produce any witness in her defence.
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Judge Aijaz Ahmad Khan held the duo guilty under Section 302 RPC read with Section 34 and 120-B RPC. The court ruled that the accused knowingly conspired and murdered the victim by calculated means, intending to make it look like a suicide.
Muzamila, who was on bail, was taken into judicial custody immediately after the pronouncement. The court fixed July 22 for arguments on the quantum of sentence and directed jail authorities to produce both convicts for the next hearing.
The court also disposed of all pending bail applications, directing that they be merged with the case file. (JKNS)
