Government Re-Opens 30-Year-Old Murder Case Of Kashmiri Hindu Judge Who Sentenced Terrorist Maqbool Bhatt

The State Investigative Agency (SIA) of Jammu and Kashmir Police is presently soliciting information from the wider public to conduct a fresh inquiry into the homicide of Retired Judge Neelkanth Ganjoo, an incident that transpired over three decades ago.

The focal objective behind this endeavour is to unveil the over-arching plot concealed within this transgression.

Neelkanth Ganjoo, an erstwhile Sessions and District Court judge, had, in August 1968, sentenced Maqbool Bhat — founder and leader of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front — to death penalty for his involvement in the killing of police inspector Amar Chand back in 1966.

However, upon retiring from his esteemed position, Ganjoo himself met a tragic end, having been gunned down by militants in Srinagar on 4 November, 1989.

The Supreme Court subsequently validated Justice Ganjoo's sentencing of Maqbool Bhat in the year 1982, leading to Bhat's eventual execution at Tihar Jail in 1984.

With the intention of illuminating the intricacies surrounding the Ganjoo murder case, the SIA has issued an official communication, earnestly urging individuals privy to pertinent facts or circumstances linked to the case to step forward and share their accounts.

They are particularly keen on receiving any information that could tangentially or directly contribute to the advancement of the investigation into this particular case.

Emphasising the preservation of the confidentiality of all individuals involved, the SIA has also declared that substantial and relevant revelations will be duly acknowledged and rewarded.

The general public is strongly encouraged to communicate through a designated telephone number and email address in order to provide any pertinent details concerning this case.

This year, the SIA made notable headway in a distinct investigation dating back to 1990.

After an elapsed span of nearly 33 years, the J&K Police successfully apprehended two individuals suspected of being culpable in the assassination of Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq.

This tragic incident unfolded when unidentified militants forcibly entered Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq's abode in the Nigeen area of Srinagar and mercilessly ended his life.

Mirwaiz Farooq, who was the father of Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was also killed on the 21 May, 1990.

According to the J&K Police, these suspects had skillfully managed to evade arrest for an extended duration spanning three decades.