J&K Court Issues Proclamation Notice Against Hizbul Mujahideen Chief Syed Salahuddin In 2002 Murder Case

In a significant move, a court in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district has issued a proclamation notice against Syed Salahuddin who is the long-absconding chief of the banned militant group Hizbul Mujahideen in connection with a murder case that dates back over two decades.

Salahuddin, originally known as Mohammad Yousuf Shah and now based in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, has been asked to appear before the court within 30 days.

Principal Sessions Judge Budgam, O.P. Bhagat issued notice under Section 82 of the CrPC, which is typically invoked when an accused is deliberately evading the legal process. If he fails to comply, the court may proceed to attach his properties under the law.

The case relates to an FIR registered in 2002 at the Budgam police station, involving serious charges including murder (Section 302), criminal conspiracy (120B), and offences under the Arms Act and the now-defunct TADA. According to the police, Salahuddin played a key role in orchestrating targeted killings and violence in the region during that period.

On the court's instructions, local police pasted the proclamation notice at his ancestral home in Soibugh village, where some of his family members still reside. This step is part of the mandatory legal process to declare an individual a proclaimed offender.

Syed Salahuddin is already a designated terrorist under Indian law and is wanted in several terror funding cases. Despite being out of India for years, his name has continued to surface in investigations related to militancy and separatism in Jammu and Kashmir.

The case, once considered cold, has now gained fresh momentum, and the court's latest order is seen as part of a broader crackdown on individuals accused of perpetuating cross-border terrorism.

Further hearings are expected in the coming weeks, as authorities continue efforts to bring long-pending cases to a legal conclusion.