Budgam: After framing charges against the fake faith healer Gulzar Bhat, accused of raping minor girls on the pretext of purifying their soul, a local court here Monday decided to try the case on fast track basis.
Principal Sessions Judge Budgam, Syed Touqeer Ahmed after perusing the prosecution records and hearing the arguments of the parties, prima facie found that the charges are made out against the self-styled Godman Gulzar Bhat.
The court charged the accused under sections 376/109 of RPC.
The Counsel for the accused, Advocate Mushtaq Ahmed pleaded not guilty before the court, however, the arguments put forth by Chief Prosecuting Officer and the counsel for the affected girls, Advocate Noor Mohammad persuaded the Judge to frame charges against the accused fake faith healer.
Self-styled faith healer Gulzar Bhat was arrested in central Kashmirs Budgam district in May this year after police received a complaint from at least four minor girls alleging that they have been repeatedly sexually-exploited during their stay at an institute run by a faith healer Gulzar Ahmed Bhat son Ghulam Qadir Bhat of Latter Chadur (Shamasabad) Khan Sahib.
The girls, according to police, had said that the fake faith healer would quote sayings in Arabic to justify his sexual activity with them. He would tell them that having sex with him was necessary to purify them of all evils.
Noor Mohammad told CNS that Court was convinced about the guilt committed by Gulzar Bhat. Sessions Judge Budgam framed rape charges against the accused and said that case would be taken up on fast track basis, he said adding that the case was listed for the next hearing on October 1.
An FIR No: 40/2013 under section 376 RPC already stands registered against the accused in police station Khansahab.
Pertinently, Jammu and Kashmir State Womens Commission had already taken a note of the issue of exploitation of girls by this self-styled faith healer and had asked the police to thoroughly probe the matter.
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