Jammu TADA court grants bail to Karate

A TADA court in Jammu has granted conditional bail to Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bitta Karate, who has been lodged in jail since November 1990 for his alleged involvement in different cases.

The Presiding Officer of the court ND Wani on Monday ordered that the accused be released from custody forthwith for four months if he furnished a bail bond and personal surety to the tune of Rs one lakh each.

The judge further directed that Karate will not leave the state without prior permission of the court.

Granting the bail, Wani observed that the accused had been facing imprisonment for the last 16 years while his other co-accused has already been granted bail.

The court further said that he had been detained under Public Safety Act (PSA) which was earlier quashed by the apex court.

The court said that in view of the fact that there was inordinate delay in framing of charges against the accused, he was forced to languish in jail for years together.

The court is aware of the fact that the allegations levelled against the accused are of serious nature and carry a punishment of death sentence or life imprisonment but the fact is that the prosecution has shown total disinterest in arguing the case, which is in complete violation of Article 21 of the Constitution, Wani observed.