A Division Bench of Supreme Court of India comprising of JJ Justice M.Y. Iqbal & Justice Arun Mishra adjourned the hearing of Writ Petition (Crl.) No.118/2007 titled as Ms. Anita Thakur & Ors. Vs. Govt. of J&K & Ors. on 26th February, 2016. That petition was filed in 2007 by Panthers Party leaders; Ms. Anita Thakur, General Secretary-JKNPP, H.C. Jalmeria, Advocate & Secretary of JKNPP with P.K. Ganjoo, Sr. Journalist against the Govt. of J&K (It was headed by the Chief Minister, Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad at that time).The other respondents in the writ petition included Mr. Kuldip Khoda, the then Director General of J&K Police, Divisional Commissioner, Inspector General of Police, District (Reasi) Magistrate, Mr. Sanjeev Verma, Mr. S.S. Sambyal, the then SHO, Katra, District Reasi, Mr. Samme Gill, the then ASI, Katra Police Station and others. The Supreme Court admitted the petition after comprehensive hearing the matter in 2007.
The Panthers Party petitioners in the Supreme Court have been represented by several advocates led by M/s. K.K. Venugopal, Sr. Advocate.The petitioners had alleged that they were leading a peaceful march of Jammu/Talwara Migrants from Reasi to Delhi to stage a protest seeking implementation of Supreme Court order dated 13.07.2006 in which the Supreme Court had directed the Govt. of J&K and Union of India to provide adequate relief and the arrears to the migrants from 2004 to 2007. The State had admitted before the Supreme Court that the Jammu Migrants (petitioners) had not been paid any relief till 2007 (till the decision of the Supreme Court on 13.07.2006). The Supreme Court had directed that, “If there are lapses on the part of the officials or any arrears to be paid to the migrants (Jammu), the same shall be made available to them at the earliest.”
The migrants took a procession ‘Reasi to Delhi’ in August, 2007 and reached Katra on 7th August. The Panthers Party senior leaders including Ms. Anita Thakur, H.C. Jalmeria and P.K. Ganjoo (Journalist) assisted and provided moral support to nearly 3000 migrants including old, young, women and children in laps. They were stopped by police under the instruction of Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad, the then Chief Minister of J&K. The order was implemented by the then Director General of Police, Mr. Kuldip Khoda. The police used force, assaulted the migrants and their chlidren on the road near Katra on 7th August. Two senior leaders of the Panthers Party namely, Ms. Anita Thakur and H.C. Jalmeria, Advocate and Sr. Journalist, Mr. P.K. Ganjoo were helping and assisting the peacefully marching migrants. They were brutally assaulted by the police. The entire story is submitted in the Supreme Court in writ petition which shall be heard finally on 26th February, 2016 by the Supreme Court.
Prof.Bhim Singh said that the assault was organized and sponsored by the Chief Minister as the Congress government was against any assistance to be given to the Jammu Migrants.Prof.Bhim Singh, Sr. Advocate said that the assault against the Panthers Party activists was sponsored by the Congress Chief Minister who was given all help and support by the then Director General of J&K Police, Mr. Kuldip Khoda. Prof.Bhim Singh said that the Panthers Party leaders were thrown out from Jammu Hospital at the instance of Congress Chief Minister. He said that the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi has verified the physical injuries caused to the petitioners.The petitioners have demanded a compensation of Rs.10 lacs each from the State of J&K and the Union government besides, the petitioners have urged the Supreme Court to register FIR against the respondents and to hold a trial before a special court so that the culprits shall be punished according to the law. He said that the Govt. of J&K has been holding a trial against the petitioners in District Sessions Court, Reasi since 2007. Why not hold a trial against the police officers/ functionaries who have committed offences and violated the constitutional rights of the petitioners.