JAMMU: The main accused in the killing of a Pakistani prisoner in a Jammu jail in 2013, was acquitted today due to lack of evidence.
The court of the Principal and Sessions Judge acquitted Vinod Kumar, the main accused in the killing of Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah Ranjay in Kotbhalwal jail in Jammu.
Advocate Prince Khanna representing Vinod Kumar told PTI that on May 3, 2013 following the killing of the Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh inside a high profile Pakistani jail, Vinod had entered into a scuffle with Sanaullah.
“Sanaullah was injured in the scuffle and died after six days at PGI Chandigarh. The court examined 35 witnessed while two Pakistani witnesses, who had already been deported to Pakistan, could not appear for the hearing today,” he said.
In absence of evidence against Vinod Kumar, the court acquitted him of the charges, he said.
Vinod Kumar, a former soldier in the Army, was serving a life term in the same jail after he was convicted for killing his senior officer.
Sanaullah, son of Ashiq Hussain, a resident of Daluwali in Sailkote district of Pakistan, a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militant, was arrested in 1994 for his involvement in twin blasts at Satwari and Manda Morh in Jammu city, in which ten people were killed and scores injured.
He was sent to the high security Kotbalwal jail in Jammu in 1999 and in 2009, state court awarded him life imprisonment. He was also involved in digging of tunnel in jail for attempted escape of Pakistani prisoners.
“He was serving a life term after he was convicted under TADA provisions following his arrest in 1994,” a senior police officer said.–PTI