Court denies bail to two accused in Mirwaiz Moulvi Farooq’s assassination case

The bail applications moved by two accused in the assassination of Mirwaiz Moulvi Mohammad Farooq were dismissed by the designated Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA) Court in Jammu on Tuesday (September 16, 2025).

The applications were moved by Javid Bhat and Zahoor Bhat, who were arrested after 33 years in 2023 by the J&K Police’s Special Investigation Agency (SIA). Hearing the bail applications on medical grounds, the TADA Court refused to grant the same. 

Mr. Farooq, a prominent religious and political figure and also father of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was assassinated by gunmen in 1990 at his residence. The Central Bureau of Investigation had identified Hizbul Mujahideen ‘commanders’ Abdullah Bangroo and Rehman Shigan as the ones behind the conspiracy. The CBI accused Javid Bhat and Zahoor of carrying out the attack. Both the accused are the residents of Srinagar.

According to the police records, Bangroo and Shigan were killed in encounters with the security forces. Another accused, Ayub Dar, has been sentenced to life imprisonment. At least 35 mourners were killed in Srinagar’s Hawal when the security forces opened fire on the funeral procession after the assassination.

In 2023, the police said the duo “surreptitiously returned to Kashmir a few years ago”.

“Maintaining a low profile, changing addresses and shifting residences, they avoided the gaze of law enforcement agencies,” the police had said.