Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 19: Principal Sessions Judge Kulgam Tahir Khurshid Raina has rejected the bail application of a religious teacher namely Tahir Ahmad Daing, son of Zahoor Ahmad Daing of Ramban, who has been booked by Police Station Qaimoh for the offence of kidnapping and rape of a minor girl.
After hearing counsel for the petitioner/accused and Public Prosecutor, the court observed, “petitioner stands charge sheeted for commission of offences of kidnapping, attempt to rape and under Section 8 POCSO. He is a Molvi (religious teacher) by profession who was supposed to teach the Holy Quran to the prosecutrix in a Madrasa, where she was sent by her parents to get the knowledge of Holy Quran”.
“However, unfortunately he is an accused in the case. What has happened is altogether antithesis of what was expected from the Molvi, who is supposed to be the preacher of Islamic teachings and repository of the Quranic knowledge and wisdom”, the court said, adding “all the material witnesses including the prosecutrix is yet to appear in the witness box to depose. However, in compliance to the judgment of High Court prosecutrix was called by the court to know of her view about the grant of bail to the accused. She has not opposed the same. But this is not the only criteria for grant of bail to the accused who is alleged to have committed a serious offence against a minor girl”.
“Fact remains that society speaks through judge. If such an accused, who was supposed to act in a most decent and sacrosanct manner, has allegedly acted like a tormentor of the chastity, modesty and honour of a minor girl and her family, then where the society is heading towards”, the court said, adding “his alleged criminal act has crumbled the very edifice of the society, whose moorings are deeply embedded in and based on religious teachings, morality and rich human values”.
The judge further said, “court cannot afford to show a Nelson’s eye to this hard reality but is under bounden legal duty to give a bold and clear message to such an accused who in the attire of a preacher alleged to have acted as teacher and shattered the faith of people and the society by rank depravity and criminality”.
Accordingly, the bail application was dismissed.
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