SIA Says Investigation Links 1990 Killing to Larger Alleged Terror Conspiracy; Chargesheet Submitted Before Special Court in Srinagar
J&K, In a significant development in the investigation of a decades-old terror-related case, the State Investigation Agency (SIA), Kashmir, has filed a comprehensive 737-page chargesheet before a Special Court in Srinagar in connection with the 1990 abduction and killing of SKIMS staff nurse Sarla Bhat.
According to official details, the chargesheet has been submitted before the Court of the Additional Sessions Judge, TADA/POTA and Special Judge designated under the NIA Act, Srinagar. The case pertains to the abduction and murder of Sarla Bhat, who was employed as a nurse at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) and was killed on April 18, 1990.
The investigation was transferred to the SIA by the Director General of Police, Jammu and Kashmir, on March 18, 2024, following which the agency carried out a detailed probe.
Officials said the chargesheet is based on oral testimonies, documentary records, forensic and ballistic reports, medical evidence, electronic material and extensive field investigations collected and analysed during the course of the investigation.
The SIA stated that filing the chargesheet nearly 35 years after the incident marks an important step in pursuing justice in one of the Valley’s long-pending terror cases. The agency said the investigation demonstrates that serious terror-related offences continue to be investigated irrespective of the passage of time.
According to the investigation, Sarla Bhat was allegedly abducted near SKIMS on April 18, 1990, subjected to torture and later shot dead in the Omer Colony area of Malbagh, Srinagar. The agency said the case remained unresolved for decades due to the prevailing security situation and an atmosphere of fear that discouraged witnesses from coming forward.
Following the reopening of the case, investigators reconstructed the sequence of events with the help of protected witnesses, eyewitness accounts, forensic analysis, medical records and documentary evidence, the SIA said.
The chargesheet names former JKLF chief Mohammad Yasin Malik along with Khurshid Ahmad Chalkoo, Abdul Hamid Sheikh, Mohammad Yousuf Sofi alias Idrees and Ghulam Mohammad Taploo as accused in the case. According to the agency, three of the accused—Abdul Hamid Sheikh, Mohammad Yousuf Sofi alias Idrees and Ghulam Mohammad Taploo—have since died, while Mohammad Yasin Malik is currently in judicial custody in another case.
The SIA further stated that proclamation proceedings have been initiated against Khurshid Ahmad Chalkoo, who is alleged to have fled to Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
According to the chargesheet, offences have been invoked under Sections 364, 341, 302 read with 34, 201 and 120-B of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC), relevant provisions of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA), 1987, and Sections 7 and 27 of the Indian Arms Act, 1959.
The investigation also states that allegations portraying Sarla Bhat as an informer were found to be baseless and were allegedly used as a pretext for her targeted killing. The agency has alleged that the murder formed part of a broader campaign intended to spread fear and facilitate the displacement of members of the Kashmiri Pandit community during the early years of militancy.
The SIA said the filing of the chargesheet reflects its continued commitment to investigating unresolved terror cases and bringing those allegedly involved before the judicial process. The agency maintained that no terror-related offence is beyond investigation and reaffirmed its resolve to pursue such cases in accordance with law.
By ZorawarSingh Sunderbani J&K 9622360431
