CBI files charge sheet against J and K cop for murdering his wife

New Delhi

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday filed a charge sheet against Jammu and Kashmir Police Inspector Vivek Bassan for allegedly murdering his wife with his service pistol in February 2018.

A CBI spokesperson, in a statement, said that the charge sheet was filed before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Jammu, under several sections of the Indian Penal Code for cruelty to married women and culpable homicide not amounting to murder and sections of the Arms Act in the case related to alleged murder of Neha Kumari.

The CBI had registered a case on March 26, 2019 on the orders of J&K High Court on a petition filed by the woman's father and taken over the investigation of the case, earlier registered at Pacca Danga Police Station in Jammu, alleging the death of Neha Kumari in suspicious circumstances on February 26, 2018.

According to police, the woman's father had complained that she had died due to gunshot injury from the service pistol of her husband. The state police had registered the case on May 18, 2018, almost three months after the murder.

The spokesperson said that the CBI investigation, which included assistance of forensic experts and reconstruction of scene of crime, led to the unearthing of the criminal conspiracy behind the murder. "It was further alleged that the deceased was being subjected to cruelty in relation to demand for dowry and was murdered by her husband by using his service pistol," the statement said.

"It was also revealed an alleged conspiracy to manipulate evidence so as to reflect the incident as suicide," he said, adding that on the basis of evidence gathered during investigation, the agency has arrested Bassan earlier in the day. Bassan was produced before the court, which sent him to judicial custody.