JAMMU: A Jammu court Friday rejected the bail plea of Kamal Singh Jamwal, accused of attempting to assassinate National Conference president and former J&K CM Dr Farooq Abdullah earlier this year. The judge held that an attack on a public figure of Abdullah’s stature could not be viewed merely as a crime against an individual but had wider implications for public order, democratic stability, and the rule of law.On March 11, Dr Farooq Abdullah and DyCM Surinder Choudhary were attending a wedding at a venue in Jammu’s Greater Kailash area when the alleged assassination attempt was carried out. A case was subsequently registered at Gangyal PS.The judge rejected Jamwal’s medical plea, observing that no cogent material had been placed on record to establish that he was suffering from a mental disorder. It added that the plea of legal insanity required detailed evidence during trial and could not be decided at the bail stage.The court held that the gravity of the alleged offence and its possibility of repetition outweighed the accused’s claim for liberty. Noting that sufficient material was available on record to proceed against Jamwal under BNS Section 109 (attempt to murder) and Arms Act Section 30 (contravening license conditions, provisions, or rules), Principal Sessions Judge RN Wattal formally framed charges against him.During the proceedings, the charges were explained to Jamwal — currently lodged in Amphalla district jail — via virtual mode. He pleaded not guilty and opted to face trial, following which the court directed the prosecution to produce its witnesses and fixed July 31 for recording prosecution evidence.
