Srinagar, Dec 28: Srinagar UAPA court has convicted a State
Investigation Agency (SIA) investigated militant and has
convicted him for six years of imprisonment for being active
member of militant organization.
An official told that Amir Nabi Wagay son of Ghulam Nabi Wagay
of Goriwan in Bijbehara area of Anantnag District was convicted
by UAPA Court in Srinagar on 27 December 2022 and sentenced
him to 6 years imprisonment under section 20 of UAPA for being
an active member of Hizbul Mujahideen, a banned militant outfit;
another 6 years under section 7/25 Indian Arms Act for
possession of illegally acquired firearm and ammunition and 03
years under section 13 UAPA for indulging in unlawful activities
especially promoting separatism and disrupting the sovereignty
and territorial integrity of India.
Amir Wagay, also known by the code name Abu Qasim, was
operating as the District Commander of Hizbul Mujahideen in
Anantnag area, the official said.
Considered to be a close associate of killed HM top Militant
Burhan Wani, Amir Wagay was nabbed red handed by a team of
CI Kashmir of J&K Police, now mostly operating under the SIA
banner on 31 March 2017, he said.
The CI team apprehended him in SKIMS Soura while Amir
Wagay was on a mission to carry out a militant attack. The
investigation and trial records show that on realizing that
plainclothes policemen have nearly surrounded him after trailing,
Amir Wagay tried to break the encirclement by attempting to fire
at the policemen. However, he was overpowered and
dispossessed of a Chinese pistol along with six live ammunition
which he was carrying and had fished out to counter attack the
policemen, he added further.
The terror incident was taken cognizance of vide case FIR No.
7/2017 registered in Police Station CI Kashmir in Srinagar. The
charge sheet of the case was filed before the trial court on
16.05.2019, official said.
After a vigorous and hotly contested trial over 3 and ½ years, the
court found Amir Wagay guilty of several charges under UAPA
and Arms Act, he said.
Sources said that the SIA unit's head in Kashmir conveyed that
the primary objective is to restore rule of law and break the terror
ecosystem by bringing the perpetrators to justice through
investigation and successful prosecution.
On being asked if he has apprehensions about security of his
team, he said, this is exactly what the SIA wants to break, namely
the intimidation of the militants and their support networks, they
said.
For far too long the militants have been ruling the landscape
wherein an ordinary police officer had great difficulties in
investigating without fear, witnesses feared to depose,
prosecutors feared to argue and even presiding officers of trial
courts remained under the shadow of the gun while adjudicating
and passing judgments, they added further.
With this conviction a new phase of fight against the terror is
likely to commence and the supporters of the militants are likely
to disrupt it with all the means they have and this is what would
be the foremost challenge, they added.
