J&K High Court Condemns Missing FIR in 2019 Terror Case, Questions Trial Records' Quality

The Jammu & Kashmir High Court has sharply criticized the handling of a 2019 terror and arms-smuggling case after discovering the original FIR was missing from trial records. Justice Rahul Bharti called the submission of unreadable digital documents "contemptuous" and flagged serious procedural lapses. The case involves six accused, including truck driver Sabeel Ahmad Baba, arrested after weapons were allegedly recovered from a vehicle at Lakhanpur. The court noted the FIR was registered before the reported interception, raising timeline concerns. It also faulted the lower court for accepting a copy instead of the original FIR, especially during COVID-19 disruptions. Officials have been ordered to explain the lapses, with the next hearing set for July 3, 2026.