Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 15

The Army on Monday said the Court of Inquiry into the Budgam incident in which a youth was roped to a jeep and ferried through several villages was still incomplete and reports of a Major being given a “clean chit are speculative”.“The Court of Inquiry in the case is still in progress,” Srinagar-based defence spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia said. “Reports in some sections of the media about the Army Major (allegedly involved in the case) being given a clean chit are speculative.” Sources said a Colonel-rank officer, who is the presiding officer in the case, was still holding the inquiry and had not submitted any report to the Srinagar-based 15 Corps Headquarters.The presiding office had so far recorded the statements Army officers, including the Major of the 53 Rashtriya Rifles battalion allegedly involved in the incident.“It is sensitive case and the completion of the CoI is dependent on recording and cross-examining of statements,” the sources said. Last month, a video surfaced on the social media showing 26-year-old Farooq Ahmad Dar, an artisan, tied to the bonnet of an Army jeep in Budgam district on the polling day on April 9. Farooq later claimed he was not involved in stone-throwing and was picked up by the Army.