Srinagar: Srinagar Court on Saturday acquitted a Juvenile in Conflict with Law (JCL) in a Board of Professional Entrance Examination (BOPEE) paper scam case of 2012.
After hearing prosecution and defence counsel, the Court of Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) Srinagar, presided over by Principal Magistrate Touseef Ahmad Magray and members Dr Khair-ul-Nissa and Dr Asima Hassan said that “nothing incriminating has been brought on record against the JCL.”
The chargesheet in the case was submitted before court in 2014 and JCL got acquittal after the trial of around seven years.
“Keeping in view the facts and circumstance of the case and also keeping in view the fact that there is no incriminating evidence against the JCL on record which can be put to her, the examination of JCL under Section 342 CrPC (power of court to examine the accused against incriminating evidence) is dispensed with,” the court said.
“Juvenile in Conflict with Law is accordingly acquitted of the charges with respect to commission of offences under Section 512 Prevention of Corruption of Act, 1988 and Section 420, 120-B RPC,” Court said.
The court added that the bail and surety bonds furnished by the JCL stand cancelled and discharged.
“Seizure, if any, be released in favour of rightful claimant. Seizure, if not worth to release shall be disposed of under the supervision of additional public prosecutor of the Board. Chargesheet is disposed of, and after due compilation be consigned to record,” court said.
This is successive and last juvenile in BOPEE scam case who was acquitted. Earlier, the JJB has acquitted five juveniles in the case. Of the total 60 accused persons in the case, six juveniles were tried by JJB and other 54 faced trial by Special Anti-Corruption Court, Srinagar.
On April 28, 2018 Mushtaq Ahmad Peer, a former chairman of Board of Professional Entrance Examination (BOPEE), was sentenced to 16 years in prison and fined Rs 1 crore in this multi-crore cash-for-paper scam.
Sajad Ahmad Bhat, who brokered between Peer and students, was sentenced to 12 years in jail and fined Rs 50 lakhs by Special Anti-Corruption Court, Srinagar.
Of the total 54 accused persons in the case, 46 were convicted and eight acquitted by Special Anti-Corruption Court, Srinagar in 2018.
Among the convicts were students and their parents who were sentenced to one year and six years respectively.
However, six students who were below the age of 18-years were tried before JJB. All the juveniles with Saturday’s judgement stand acquitted.