Jammu and Kashmir High Court has ordered fresh investigation by the Crime Branch into the killing of teenager Tufail Mattoo in police firing, which triggered the summer agitation of 2010 in the Valley, observing that an attempt has been made to save certain police officials.
Justice Virender Singh after quashing the trial court order, which had accepted closure report of Special Investigation Team (SIT), asked the state Director General of Police to handover the investigation to Crime Branch.
The court announced the judgement yesterday, eight months after reserving it, and directed the DGP that an officer of the rank of Superintendent of Police only shall conduct the investigation and submit status report within eight weeks.
"The court will be reluctant in extending the time except on bonafide grounds as the incident relates to June 2010," the bench said.
The bench said the Crime Branch will be at liberty to move a formal application before court of Special Mobile Magistrate Srinagar for taking into their possession the entire record of investigation already submitted before it by SIT, resulting into closure of the case "as it may facilitate the Crime Branch to proceed ahead with the investigation afresh."
The Special Mobile Magistrate (PT&E) Srinagar had on March 1 last year accepted the closure report by it.
Tufail Ahmad Mattoo (17) had been killed in a clash between stone pelting protesters and police at Ghani memorial stadium near Rajouri Kadal in old city on June 11, 2010.
During the clash, a teargas shell fired by police hit him on the head, killing him on the spot.
The killing of Tufail, had triggered protests on the streets of Kashmir.
