We had summoned two eyewitnesses — number 7 and number 13. The eyewitness number 13 was present in the court and the eyewitness number 7 could not attend due to health reasons,” senior public prosecutor S K Bhat told reporters.
The statement of the eyewitness (13) was recorded and Malik was present during the examination through virtual mode, he said, adding the other accused in the case were also present in the court.
The eyewitness, who identified Malik through virtual mode, also identified another accused Mohammad Zaman in the open court, Bhat added.
He said the eyewitness admitted that he had gone to Sopore, along with another eyewitness, a day after the kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed.
“As per his statement, he met two accused in Khan guest house there and he identified both the accused, which is a major achievement for the prosecution,” he said.
Of the two accused, Ali Mohammad Mir who is the prime accused in the kidnapping case after Malik, had taken Rubaiya Sayeed in his vehicle to Sopore from Srinagar and kept her in the Khan guest house, Bhat said.
When the eyewitnesses returned to Srinagar, Mir gave them their vehicle and the vehicle of the eyewitnesses was kept in Sopore, he said.
The eyewitness (13) identified the places and the accused twice in the court, Bhat said.
The court has directed the prosecution to produce the two witnesses in the case on the next date of hearing on March 31.
