Insha Mushtaq Dar
Today marks the 24th death anniversary of Adv. Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Regoo, who was a member of the High Court Bar Association and a businessman. Since then, Masooda Parveen, wife of late Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Regoo, has been fighting for justice at national to international platforms.
On the night of February 01, 1998 at around 8:30 pm, Adv Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Regoo was abducted from his home in Chandhara Village of Pampore area in Pulwama district by the pro-government gunmen (Ikhwanis) who were led by an Army Major. Three days later, on February 03, his mutilated body was handed over to his family members. The army had alleged that Adv. Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Regoo was a ‘Pakistani-trained militant.’
Adv Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Regoo’s widow claimed that her husband was taken to Lethapora Army camp, where he was tortured and tormented, which ultimately led to his custodial death. In order to conceal the evidence, a landmine was tied to his body and exploded.
Ever since the incident took place, his widow Masooda Parveen who was left behind with the responsibility of their young children, took charge to seek justice for her family. She reached the Supreme Court of India as she feared that the courts in Kashmir were under the control of the army. The Supreme Court rejected her petition twice before considering it.
In 2007, the Supreme Court of India ruled out the case in favour of the Indian Army, reaffirming the provision of AFSPA in Kashmir. Masooda Parveen even took her case to international platforms and institutions seeking justice.
Background Story:
As per the story narrated by Masooda Parveen, widow of Adv. Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Regoo, the adversity for the family began long before his abduction. Back in the ’90s, when Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Regoo’s was a saffron trader. His business partners deceived and cheated him, which ultimately tumbled him into massive debt. Because of the betrayal and debt, Regoo sold his land in Pampore and migrated to Kulgam along with his family. In order to get more money from Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din, his partners used different coercive tactics. His wife had alleged that they later sent counterinsurgents to get money from him.
She had also said that her husband was picked up by the army men many times before February 01, 1998, who alleged that he had militancy links but was left after questioning.
On the night of February 01, 1998 – the joint team of 17 Jaat, Special Operation Groups along with the Ikhwan’s and Army Major barged into Regoo’s house in Chandhara at about 8:30 pm. They searched the house but found nothing incriminating therein. He was tortured first in his own home and later was taken to the Lethapora Army Camp, the Headquarters of 17 Jaat, for interrogation, where he was tortured mercilessly, which ultimately led to his custodial death. In order to obscure the evidence, a landmine was tied to his body and detonated.
On 3rd February 1998, the mutilated body of Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din was handed over to the family. His widow had claimed that her family members weren’t allowed to look at his shrouded body by the relatives as the body was mutilated and unrecognizable.
After the death of Regoo, Masooda Parveen was left behind with the responsibility of her young children, two sons. Masooda was a school teacher back then. Along with the responsibility of her children, she also pledged to seek justice for her family.
In June 1998, Masooda Parveen sent a petition to the Chief Justice of India. In the habeas Corpus, she had demanded compensation from the Central Government for causing the custodial death of her husband.
She reached the Supreme Court of India to seek justice. After rejecting her petition twice, the court finally accepted it the third time. She had pointed out various subsequent acts of omission and commission, which divulged that the army and police were involved in concealing the truth.
According to the response of the army in the Court, Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Regoo, during the course of interrogation, had conceded that he was a Pakistani-trained militant and a former member of a militant outfit, Al-Barque. The army had claimed that Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din had agreed to help the army reach the hideout of the militant outfit.
The army, in their version, had added that in the morning of February 03, 1998, Regoo was leading the army to the hideout. At around 3:00 am, while he was removing the stones at the hideout there was an explosion in which Regoo died. In order to prove their sequence of story, they had also claimed that three of their armed men also sustained splinter injuries in the explosion.
On May 02, 2007, the court dissolved the writ petition of Masooda Parveen on the ground that she had no evidence to prove her petition. The court ruled the case in favour of the army, claiming that Regoo was indeed a militant hence claiming that the chain of events narrated by the army and police was veracious.
The Supreme Court chose to believe the contention of the army and police that Regoo was a militant and his death was accidental even though the death of Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din took place in army custody, in Lethpora Army Camp and also there were numerous contradictions and inconsistencies in their version of events that led up to the death, including the loss of the original file containing the inquest report and documents.
The long struggle of Masooda Parveen towards justice didn’t end with the verdict of the court, but she took the matter to the international institutes and platforms. The path for Masooda Parveen has never been easy after the arbitrary death of her husband, but she has been a tough fighter. She has faced enormous difficulties, right from single-handedly taking care of her young children to fighting a case against the Union of India. Masooda Parveen has set an example of bravery and courage, a woman who dared to challenge the claims of police and the army.