In order to prevent the terror accused out on bail from falling into the trap of their original handlers, the Jammu and Kashmir Police have introduced GPS tracker anklets to track down their movements. This is the first of its kind initiative taken by any police force across the country.
According to a Jammu and Kashmir police spokesman the devices were introduced after a Special NIA Court, Jammu, passed an order directing the police to affix a GPS tracker anklet on a terror accused — the importance of which was highlighted by the prosecution department of the police. The GPS tracker anklet is a wearable device affixed around the ankle of the person to monitor and track their movement.
The device is already being used in Western countries such as the USA, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand to track the movement of accused persons on bail, parole, and house arrest and accordingly de-congests prisons to a large extent.
The officials of the State Investigation Agency (SIA) of the J&K Police have introduced the GPS tracker anklet for monitoring of bail-out terror accused.
Giving details of the case, the police spokesman said in an FIR registered under various sections of UAPA, accused Ghulam Mohd Bhat had applied for bail.
During the pendency of the bail hearing, the accused sought to be released on interim bail. The accused is undergoing trial for being associated with different terrorist organisations and being involved in terror financing at the behest of the proscribed terrorist organisation Hizbul Mujahideen (HM).
Bhat was arrested in the current FIR while attempting to transport the proceeds of terrorism to the tune of `2.5 lakh at the behest of Hizbul.
The accused is also convicted by the NIA Court Patiala House, New Delhi, in another case for being associated with a terrorist organisation and for conspiracy for a terrorist act, the police spokesman said.
In the Special NIA Court, Jammu, the importance of close monitoring of the terror accused and the stringent conditions for grant of bail under the UAPA, 1967, was highlighted by the prosecution department of Zonal Police Headquarters (ZPHQ), Jammu, the officials said.
“Finding merit in the submissions of the prosecution, the Special NIA Court, Jammu, was pleased to pass an order directing J&K Police to affix a GPS tracker anklet on the accused,” they added.