NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday issued summons to former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah for the alleged misappropriation of funds of the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), official sources said.
Abdullah has been asked to join the investigation on May 31 at its Chandigarh office, the officials said. The ED questioned Abdullah in the same case earlier on two occasions in 2019 and 2020. Last time, the ED questioned the 84-year-old leader at its regional office at Raj Bagh in Jammu and Kashmir. The ED had recorded Abdullah’s statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on both occasions.
He has been previously interrogated by a team of Central Bureau Investigation (CBI) in the alleged scam in January 2018. The investigation into the case is still underway.
The ED had filed the money laundering case after taking cognisance of a CBI FIR, which booked former JKCA office-bearers, including general secretary Mohammed Saleem Khan and former treasurer Ahsan Ahmad Mirza.
In 2015, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court handed over the investigation of the alleged Rs 113-crore scam in the J-K Cricket Association to the CBI while indicting the state police for failing to carry out the probe in which former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has been named.
While referring to Abdullah’s name in the scam and citing reasons for handing over the probe to the CBI, the court had said that the president of the JKCA is a “tall political personality” having served as the CM of the state and served as the Union minister in the previous government.
His complicity is alleged in granting approval to two contradictory resolutions pertaining to the operation of bogus accounts of the JKCA to keep accused Ahsan Mirza in control of financial matters despite his ceasing to be a treasurer after the 2011 elections.
The CBI has interrogated many others in connection with the case. (ANI)
Party meeting
Meanwhile, National Conference (NC) leader and MP Dr. Farooq Abdullah on Thursday warned that the “ostrich approach” of the BJP government on targeted killings in Kashmir will push the situation to a point of no return.
Farooq Abdullah was presiding over a meeting of NC’s Provincial Committee (Kashmir) in Srinagar.
Farooq Abdullah also expressed serious concern over the deteriorating security scenario in the valley leading to a series of targeted killings of innocents, including members of minority communities.
Referring to the spate of targeted civilian killings and the pervasive atmosphere of fear in the valley, Dr. Farooq said, “I unequivocally condemn the brutal killing of Vijay Kumar, a Bank Manager in Kulgam. The killing spree and the pervasive fear among civilians, minorities, and other soft targets give a lie to the claims of the government that everything was Ok in Kashmir. This is not the case. While our brothers and sisters are being targeted under daylight, the government has its head in the sand. This ostrich approach will push the situation to a point of no return.”
“An employee becomes a target in a busy office, or a cop gets killed at home, if this is the new face of normalcy, I cannot say anything. We feel sorry that innocent people are being killed one after another. Minorities are being killed. Police persons are being killed. Civilians are getting killed in targeted attacks,” he further said.
Provincial Committee members echoed the sentiments of the party president and expressed concern over the crumbling security scenario in Kashmir. All the members present in the meeting unanimously passed two resolutions condemning the spate of targeted civilian killings and ED summons to party president Dr. Farooq Abdullah who reiterated the party’s stand which is to peacefully fight for the restoration of J&K’s identity and dignity.