The J&K unit of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is hopeful that former chief minister and convenor of the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) Dr. Farooq Abdullah will be in jail soon in the infamous multicrore Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) scam.
Former minister and general secretary of J&K BJP, Sunil Sharma told media persons that the involvement of veteran National Conference leader has been established in the JKCA money laundering scam.
"We are hoping that all those who were involved in the multi-crore JKCA scam including Dr. Farooq Abdullah would be jailed for pocketing funds meant for the development of cricket in J&K", Sunil Sharma, who is in-charge of Kashmir province of BJP said.
He regretted that instead of utilizing the funds meant for sports activities the then office bearer of the JKCA swindled crores of rupees through illegal means.
Farooq Abdullah has already been directed to appear before the Court
Already being questioned multiple times by the Enforcement Directorate, Dr. Farooq Abdullah is now directed to appear before Court in this scam.
On August 27, Dr. Abdullah cited "health issues" and skipped his appearance before the Court in the much-publicized JKSC scam.
Taking cognizance of the complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against Dr. Farooq Abdullah Abdullah and others in the J&K Cricket Association (JKCA) money laundering case, the Principal District and Sessions Judge, Srinagar had summoned Dr. Abdullah to appear before the Court.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a complaint against Dr. Abdullah and others in the JKCA money laundering case.
Infamous J&K Cricket Association scam
The scam came to light ten years ago when Muhammad Aslam Goni, the then JKCA managing committee chairman, lodged an FIR with the police on March 10, 2012, against Ahsan Mirza and Mohammad Saleem Khan - the then JKCA general secretary and chief administrative officer respectively - accusing the duo of pushing the funds into bogus bank accounts created in the name of the association.
From 2006 to 2012, the Board of Cricket Control of India (BCCI) had given an amount of Rs 113 crore to the Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association as a grant for the promotion of cricket in J&K. Of this, Rs. 43.69 crore was allegedly siphoned off and misappropriated by some office-bearers of the Association.
It was alleged that during this period, the then president of Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association Dr. Farooq Abdullah connived with the treasurer of JKCA and others to siphon off the funds. Mir Manzoor Gazanfar, who resigned as the treasurer of JKCA in 2008, had claimed that Dr. Abdullah visited his hotel in Srinagar and made him sign blank cheques.
Gazanfar alleged that Dr. Farooq Abdullah came with Ehsan Mirza, the then general secretary of JKCA, and forced him (Gazanfar) to sing some blank cheques.
Ehsan Mirza is also accused of defrauding the association of over Rs 30 crore after allegedly opening bogus bank accounts on its behalf. He was later sacked on charges of embezzlement. He, however, claims that he has been made a scapegoat.
