Ishfaq Tantry

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 4

The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Srinagar, on Monday posted the Major Leetul Gogoi case for arguments on June 12 after the petitioner sought further police investigation into the matter to explore human trafficking angle.On May 30, the J&K Police, in its report to the Chief Judicial Magistrate, had said the woman who was detained along with Major Gogoi from a Srinagar hotel on May 23 was 19 years old. She had gone with the officer of her own will, the police said.The Chief Judicial Magistrate had sought the status report of the investigation of the hotel fracas involving Major Gogoi on the petition of human rights activist Ahsan Untoo.During the hearing on Monday, the petitioner’s counsel Bilal Ahmad termed the police report “unsatisfactory.” He urged the court to direct the police to further investigate the matter so as to explore other angles, including human trafficking, too.“The role of Sameer Malla, who accompanied the Major and the girl to the hotel, is suspicious and has not been investigated,” argued the counsel.“It may or may not be a case of human trafficking, but the police has not investigated this aspect,” he said.Countering his submission, the prosecution led by a chief prosecuting officer submitted that it was a case involving two consenting adults. “It may be morally wrong, but legally no offence is made out against the Major,” the chief prosecuting officer submitted while citing the statement recorded by the girl before a magistrate and absence of any complaint either by the girl or the hotel management.In its report to the Chief Judicial Magistrate, the police had said neither the woman nor the hotel owner lodged any formal complaint against Major Gogoi.