SRINAGAR, October 5, 2025 : In a significant development, a Srinagar court has rejected the bail pleas of eight police personnel arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for their alleged involvement in the custodial torture of a police constable two years ago.
Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Srinagar, Aadil Mushtaq Ahmad, pronounced the order on Saturday, denying bail to DySP Aijaz Ahmad Naik, Inspector Riyaz Ahmad Mir, and six others — Tanveer Ahmad Malla, Altaf Hussain Bhat, Mohammad Younis Khan, Shakir Hussain Khoja, Shahnawaz Ahmad Deedad, and Jehangir Ahmad Beigh.
The accused were arrested on the directions of the Supreme Court, following the CBI’s probe into the alleged custodial torture and grievous injuries inflicted upon Constable Khursheed Ahmed Chowhan during his alleged illegal confinement at the Joint Interrogation Centre, Kupwara, in February 2023.
Rejecting their pleas, the court observed that there were no exceptional circumstances warranting bail in a case of serious custodial violence still under investigation.
“The court is of the considered opinion that none of the three applications disclose any exceptional circumstance warranting departure from the settled principle that bail is not to be granted in serious custodial violence cases at the investigative stage,” the order stated.
CJM Ahmad further remarked that the case being sessions-triable and non-bailable, the court’s jurisdiction remained limited, and noted that custodial supervision remains necessary to prevent interference or intimidation of witnesses.
The CBI continues to investigate the case amid mounting concerns over custodial conduct and accountability within law enforcement ranks.
