Arrested PDP youth leader Para being kept under 'inhuman conditions and tortured', alleges Mehbooba

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday alleged her party's youth wing president Waheed Para, arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir Police last month, was being kept under "inhuman conditions and tortured" to compel him to admit to false charges.

However, the Jammu and Kashmir Police without naming the former chief minister termed the comments "unfortunate" and said the "CID is answerable to the courts on all aspects including whether amenities and rights available to a person under custodial investigation and his legal obligations to cooperate in the investigation are being complied."

In a series of tweets, Mehbooba said it was “shameful and appalling” and that such actions discredit and bring disrepute to the institutions meant to uphold law and order.

"J&K CID has joined the list of central agencies that work to terrorise Kashmiris & falsely implicate them.... Waheed is being persecuted & tortured to admit the false allegations. Since an admission didn't happen he is being kept under inhuman conditions. This investigation has been fraudulent & politically motivated from day one," she alleged.

"The norm dictating such deceitful investigations is 'Show me the man & I'll show you the crime'. Shameful & appalling that these actions discredit & bring disrepute to the institutions meant to uphold law & order," the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir further alleged.

Para was first arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on November 25 last year in a case related to his alleged links to the Hizbul Mujahideen terror outfit. He was later granted bail by an NIA court on January 9.

However, the PDP youth leader, who won the District Development Council (DDC) elections held in November-December last year, was arrested by the police shortly after he walked out of a jail in Jammu and continues to remain in custody.

In an apparent reference to Mehbooba's remarks, the Jammu and Kashmir Police said, "Recent comments about CID investigations in the public domain through social media are unfortunate for two reasons: for being factually incorrect and making CID officers vulnerable to increased threats and enhanced risks."

"It is also fraught with the risks of adversely influencing the witnesses and the course of investigation. It is factually incorrect that an under investigation person was tortured. CID investigations are done professionally and as per law,” the police said in a statement in Jammu.

The police said each and every arrested person is presented before competent court periodically as per law.

"Every arrested suspect has access to health care and doctors. It is neither proper nor lawful to discuss and pass verdict like remarks in the public domain about ongoing complex investigations,” it said.

It said, "The CID is answerable to the courts on all aspects including whether amenities and rights available to a person under custodial investigation and his legal obligations to cooperate in the investigation are being complied.”