According to the prosecution, a case was filed against Sheikh at the Bomai police station in 2016 by the father of one of the victims
Srinagar, Feb 17: A court in Jammu and Kashmir has awarded a jail term of 14 years to a fake faith healer who was found guilty of committing unnatural offences with children, officials said today.
On Monday, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Sopore, Mir Wajahat issued the order of conviction against Aijaz Ahmad Sheikh on charges under section 377 (unnatural offences) of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC).
According to the prosecution, a case was filed against Sheikh at the Bomai police station in 2016 by the father of one of the victims.
“Accordingly, the accused, Aijaz Ahmad Sheikh, is convicted under section 377, RPC for committing unnatural offences against PW3 and PW8. The established legal principles governing sexual offences leave no room for doubt regarding the accused’s guilt. He subjected PW3 and PW8 to unnatural sexual intercourse during their minority, exploiting their vulnerability under the guise of offering blessings.
“By dominating their will, manipulating their psyche and exerting control, he subjected their bodies, minds and souls to persistent acts of brutality over the years, shrouding his crimes in ostentation while inflicting upon them the unbearable shame of his misconduct,” the court said in its order.Jammu and Kashmir travel guide
It observed that prosecution witnesses (four, five, seven, nine and 11) have courageously recounted the harrowing accounts of their suffering.
“Their testimonies remain unwaveringly consistent. However, this judgment refrains from extensive elaboration or deliberation, solely to uphold the sanctity of the impending investigation, which must proceed after the registration of separate FIRs for PW4, PW5, PW7, PW9, PW11, or PW12, who, though not examined, may also be a victim, alongside any other individual seeking their rightful justice against the accused,” the court said.
“If this judgment serves as a catalyst for those silent voices who have long endured unspeakable trauma, struggled in the shadows of despair and now look toward the law with the last vestiges of hope, then justice has, in some measure, already begun to prevail,” it added.
Upon a careful examination of the evidence, legal principles and procedural fairness, the court said it finds that the testimonies of all victims other than PW3 and PW8, alongside PW1 and PW2, have been crucial in establishing a consistent pattern of abuse within the same time-frame, place and zone.
“These testimonies, while reinforcing the prosecution’s case, require separate determination to uphold procedural fairness and prevent any prejudice to the accused, who, despite having full notice of the joint trial, must be afforded the benefit of independent adjudication for allegations outside the scope of this particular trial,” it added.
On Tuesday, Sheikh was awarded a jail term of 14 years and a fine of Rs 1 lakh rupees.
