Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 10: In the much publicized mysterious disappearance of a minor domestic help from the residence of Judicial Officer, Division Bench of the State High Court comprising Chief Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur today expressed displeasure over the ongoing investigation and termed the same as ineffective.
Looking into the slackness, the DB directed Senior Superintendent of Police, Jammu to file a status report indicating steps taken for tracing the missing boy. Keeping in view the urgency involved, the DB fixed the matter on Friday.
When this matter came up for hearing before the Division Bench, Senior AAG S S Nanda submitted that SHO Police Station Trikuta Nagar Inspector Naveen Angral along with case diaries is present pursuant to yesterday’s directions. Division Bench minutely perused the case diaries and expressed grave concern over the missing of the minor boy.
In the open court, the Division Bench directed the SHO concerned to read the statement of the Judicial Officer recorded during investigation. The Division Bench also directed the SHO concerned to read the statement of the PSO of the CJM Rajouri and after going through his statement, the Division Bench remarked, “there is contradiction amongst the statements of the duo”.
The Division Bench also put a specific query to the Police team as to whether it has verified and recorded the statement of the Headmaster of the School where Mohd Rafiq was studying. Upon this, SHO informed the Division Bench that Mohd Rafiq had been admitted in a local school of village Raghura and according to his investigation the minor boy did not go to the school for the last one and a half year.
Advocate Deepika Singh Rajawat, petitioner-in-person/ child rights activist submitted before the court that ever since the minor was engaged as domestic help he was never sent to school by CJM Rajouri and studies were discontinued. She further submitted that although as on today the minor has completed 16 years of age but when he was engaged by CJM Rajouri the child was only 12 years old.
After considering the submissions of both the sides, the Division Bench observed, “the investigation team is unable to trace the child”, adding “as the child is missing for the last about two months and the investigation is also not effective, SSP Jammu is directed to file a status indicating steps taken for tracing the missing boy”.
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