A special court here on Wednesday held five people guilty in a 2006 sex scandal in Jammu & Kashmir in which some minors were sexually exploited, and which involved some former high ranking policemen.
Former Border Security Force’s deputy inspector general (DIG) KC Padhi, former deputy superintendent of police Mohammed Ashraf Mir, and three others—Maqsood Ahmad, Shabir Ahmad Langoo, Shabir Ahmad Laway—were convicted for rape under section 376 of the Ranbir Penal Code.
Their sentence will be decided on June 4.
The court also acquitted two people—former additional advocate general Anil Sethi and another accused named Mehraj ud din Malik.
The scandal had hit the headlines in 2006 when the J&K police recovered two CDs showing Kashmiri minors being sexually exploited. The minors were allegedly coerced into prostitution and supplied to top police officials, bureaucrats, politicians and surrendered militants.
Investigations led police to narrow down to 56 suspects, some of them high profile. The CBI took over the case when some ministers names cropped up.
It also led to then chief minister Omar Abdullah stepping down from his position.
The Supreme Court transferred the case to the district court in Chandigarh later in 2006. Kingpin of the scandal, Sabeena, and her husband died during trial.
