Handwara girl’s counsel claims cops forced her to give statement

The counsel for the girl, who is at the centre of the Handwara molestation storm, on Monday claimed that her statement before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) was not made “voluntarily” and that she had been forced to testify in a manner directed by the police. Neither of her statements – one made in a video recorded by the police and the other made before the CJM under Section 164-A of CrPC – were made voluntarily, claimed a spokesman of Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), which represents the girl and her family.

He said the girl, who did not blame any Army personnel for molestation as alleged earlier, had been pressurised to testify in a manner directed by the police. He said the girl’s statement before the CJM Handwara on Sunday was recorded in the absence of her father and her lawyers. “The minor girl’s statement under Section 164-A CrPC was recorded before the judicial magistrate at Handwara. Her father was not present in court during the recording of the statement. No lawyer was present in court accompanying her. In the courtroom, besides the Judge, there were four other persons who the minor girl could not identify,” the spokesman said.