Journalism of Courage
A special CBI judge Vimal Kumar acquitted five persons in three different cases,all related to the infamous Jammu and Kashmir sex scandal case.
Giving them the benefit of doubt,the judge acquitted Absar Ahmad,Hilal Ahmad,Aijaz Ahmad,alleged kingpin Sabeena and her husband Abdul Hamid all accused of immoral trafficking as the victim turned hostile. However,Sabeena and Abdul Hamid are facing trial in two more cases in Chandigarh and one in Srinagar.
Sabeena and her husband Abdul Hamid were facing trial under Section 3 (living on the earnings of a brothel) of Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act. The other three accused were facing trial under Section 5 (procuring,inducing or taking a person for the sake of prostitution) of Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.
First reported by The Indian Express on April 27,2006,the sex racket was busted after J&K Police found two CDs of a 15-year-old girl filmed in nude. Subsequent investigations led to the unearthing of a well-knit sex racket,involving two top politicians,13 police and security forces officers and 43 girls. The case was shifted to Chandigarh sessions court and charges were framed on March 21,2007. The case involved a total of 14 accused.
CBIs special public prosecutor R K Handa told The Indian Express that the victim did not support the case of the prosecution,therefore the accused were given the benefit of doubt.
In 2012,the court had acquitted two others former J&K ministers and a senior bureaucrat,who were allegedly in charge of procuring,inducing or taking a person for the sake of prostitution.
