Shopian Firing: Supreme Court Stays FIR Against Army Officer, Seeks Reply from Govt

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has stayed FIR proceedings on Major Aditya and other Army officials in the Shopian firing case.

A bench of the apex court issued notices to the government and sought a reply in two weeks. The Supreme Court also sought assistance of Attorney General KK Venugopal in the matter.

The SC had on Friday agreed to hear the plea of father of Major Aditya, who was booked as an accused by Jammu and Kashmir Police in the Shopian firing incident.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud considered advocate Aishwarya Bhati's submission that the plea of the father is heard on an urgent basis.

The lawyer said the FIR has illegally been lodged against Major Aditya Kumar in connection with the firing incident in Shopian.

Lieutenant Colonel Karamveer Singh said his son, a major in 10 Garhwal Rifles, was "wrongly and arbitrarily" named in the FIR as the incident relates to an Army convoy that was on bonafide military duty in an area under the AFSPA and was isolated by an "unruly and deranged" mob pelting stones, causing damage to military vehicles.

Two civilians were killed when Army personnel fired at a stone-pelting mob in Ganovpora village in Shopian, prompting the chief minister to order an inquiry into the incident.

The FIR was registered against personnel of 10 Garhwal Rifles, including Major Kumar, under sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the Ranbir Penal Code.