Srinagar: A local court in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district has issued a proclamation notice under Section 82 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Cr.P.C.) against Hizbul Mujahideen chief Mohammad Yousuf Shah, also known by his nom de guerre Syed Salahuddin, in connection with a 2002 murder and arms case.
The order was pronounced on April 10, 2025, by Principal Sessions Judge Budgam, O.P. Bhagat, in the long-pending case titled State vs Bilal Ahmad Dar & Others. Salahuddin, originally a resident of Banpora, Soibugh in central Kashmir's Budgam district, has been evading arrest since the registration of FIR No. 255/2002 under Sections Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 109 (abetment) of the Ranbir Penal Code, along with Section 7/25 of the Arms Act at Police Station Budgam.
The court order comes after the police submitted a fresh application to declare Salahuddin a proclaimed offender under Section 82 Cr.P.C., highlighting his prolonged absence and alleged shelter in PoK. The police, through their reports and testimonies from the concerned Station House Officer (SHO) and process servers, confirmed that exhaustive efforts were made to arrest Salahuddin, but he continues to evade arrest. "It has been alleged by the police agency that in order to effect the arrest of the accused, the IO made every effort to trace and arrest him but could not locate his whereabouts in the valley and reportedly the said accused is putting up in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir."
Police officials from Budgam, in statements recorded before the court, stated that despite sustained efforts and execution of warrants under Section 512 Cr.P.C., the accused has remained absconding. "...a massive search to apprehend the accused in the execution of warrants made by the police, but police had failed to apprehend the accused resulting with hampering of Judicial process at the disposal of case pending against the accused is laying in record of the Court with the result victim party could not receive any justice."
The proclamation directs Salahuddin to appear before the court within a month of publication, failing which proceedings for declaring him a proclaimed offender under criminal law will follow.
"I am satisfied that above named accused is putting up in Pakistan Occupied, Kashmir and there is no chance of his appearance in the Court as he is evading the process of this Court, it is, difficult and impossible for the police to arrest him in execution of warrants issued by the Court," the order stated. As such, proclamation is hereby published made in Government Gazette as well as in daily newspapers requiring accused to appear in Court within one month from the date of publication, it further said.
Meanwhile, local sources in Soibugh confirmed that proclamation notices were affixed by concerned agencies, in line with legal requirements.
The Court had ordered that the proclamation notice be publicly read in a conspicuous area of Soibugh village, affixed to a visible part of Salahuddin's residence or nearby public spot, and also published in daily newspapers in the region. "It shall be publically read in some conspicuous place of the village/area in which the accused ordinarily resides. It shall be affixed to some conspicuous part of the place/house or homestead in which the accused person ordinarily resides or some conspicuous place of such town or village. And, it shall be published in daily newspapers published in the area in which such person ordinarily resides."
Salahuddin rose to prominence in the late 1980s after contesting the 1987 Jammu and Kashmir elections on a Muslim United Front (MUF) ticket, which were widely alleged to have been rigged. Following his subsequent arrest and release, he crossed over to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and later became the self-styled supreme commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen, one of the largest militant outfits active in the Kashmir Valley.
Designated a global terrorist by the United States in 2017, Salahuddin has been accused of masterminding several terror strikes across Jammu and Kashmir and financing insurgent operations through the Jammu and Kashmir Hizbul Mujahideen and the United Jihad Council—a conglomerate of Pakistan-based militant groups he heads.
Read full proclamation order
IN THE COURT OF PRINCIPAL SESSIONS JUDGE, BUDGAM
CNR No: JKBG010035142024
File No. 20/Challan
Date of Institution: 02.04.2024
Date of Order: 10.04.2025
CORAM: O.P. Bhagat
I.O Code JK 00103
ORDER
1. After the institution of challan titled State vs. Ab. Rashid Dar & Ors., the accused Mohd Yousuf Shah @ Salahuddin S/o Ghulam Rasool Shah R/o Banpora, Soibugh was proceeded under section 512 Cr.P.C. vide order dated 31.12.2002. As per the information laid by police agency i.e. PS Budgam through APP that police agency honoring the warrants of the Court made efforts for the arrest of the accused, who is absconding after the commission of offence. It has been alleged by the police agency that in order to effect the arrest of accused, the IO made every effort to trace and arrest him but could not locate his whereabouts in the valley and reportedly the said accused is putting up in Pakistan Occupied, Kashmir. In support of the contention put forth by police agency, the dockets issued by the concerned SHO from time to time for execution of warrants under section 512 Cr.P.C. are annexed with the file. Statement of Tameeli as well as S.H.O P.S Budgam have also been recorded and same shall form part of the file.
2. In their statement SHO PS Budgam and Tameeli concerned have stated a massive search to apprehend the accused in execution of warrants made by the police, but police had failed to apprehend the accused resulting with hampering of Judicial process at the disposal of case pending against the accused is laying in record of the Court with the result victim party could not receive any justice.
3. From the information laid down and statement of the SHO PS Budgam and Tameeli concerned I am satisfied that above named accused is putting up in Pakistan Occupied, Kashmir and there is no chance of his appearance in the Court as he is evading the process of this Court, it is, difficult and impossible for the police to arrest him in execution of warrants issued by the Court. As such, proclamation is hereby published made in Government Gazette as well as in daily news papers requiring accused to appear in Court within one month from the date of publication. It is further published as follows:—
i. It shall be publically read in some conspicuous place of the village/area in which the accused ordinarily resides;
ii. It shall be affixed to some conspicuous part of the place/house or homestead in which the accused person ordinarily resides or some conspicuous place of such town or village; And
iii. It shall be published in daily newspapers published in the area in which such person ordinarily resides.
Read more:
