Nearly 34 years after retired judge Neelkanth Ganjoo was shot by militants, the Jammu and Kashmir’s State Investigation Agency (SIA) on Monday sought information from the general public to unearth the “larger criminal conspiracy” behind the killing.

 “In order to unearth the larger criminal conspiracy behind the murder of retired judge, Neelkanth Ganjoo three decades ago, the State Investigation Agency (SIA), through a communique, has appealed to all persons familiar with facts or circumstances of this murder case to come forward and share any account of events which has a direct or indirect bearing on the investigation of the instant case,” an official spokesman said here on Monday.

“Identity of all such persons shall be kept completely hidden and protected besides all useful and relevant information shall be suitably rewarded”, reads the communiqué.

People privy to relevant information related to this murder case have been asked to contact 8899004976 or email sspsia-kmr@jkpolice.gov.in, as per a spokesman.

Ganjoo had sentenced JKLF founder Mohammad Maqbool Bhat to death in 1968 in a case related to the murder of police officer Amar Chand. Maqbool Bhat was later hanged in Tihar Jail on February 11, 1984, after the abduction and killing of Indian Diplomat Ravinder Mhatre in London. He was shot dead by militants in November 1989 and was among the prominent Kashmiri Pandits targeted by the militants.

Security agencies had blamed Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) for the assassination but no arrests were made at that time.

Image source: PTI