Although the party has immediately suspended him from all posts and responsibilities, the registration of a case against the BJP's Pulwama district president has embarrassed the Saffron Party at a crucial time when its leadership is assiduously working to expand its footprint in the Kashmir Valley.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police has booked BJP's Pulwama district president Showkat Gayoor for allegedly demanding extortion money from a contractor through intimidation.
Interestingly, this is not an isolated case. Earlier, the BJP's district president in Bandipora was arrested for allegedly demanding Rs 1 lakh from a helpless woman to get her brother released from police custody.
In the latest case, an FIR was registered at the Newa Police Post in Pulwama on the basis of a complaint filed by Mohammad Yaseen Ganie, who alleged that BJP leader Showkat Gayoor threatened him with action under the Public Safety Act if his demands were not met.
Ganie, in his complaint, accused Gayoor of committing acts of extortion, criminal intimidation, wrongful restraint, obstruction and harassment, besides making illegal demands in connection with work being undertaken for the Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee, Barthana.
"Showkat Gayoor has, for some time, been continuously interfering with and obstructing the complainant and his drivers/workers. The accused has been repeatedly contacting the complainant by telephone, threatening him and demanding illegal gratification as a condition for allowing the complainant to continue the lawful work," the complaint said.
Ganie accused the BJP leader of demanding Rs 5 lakh from him as extortion money.
"Gayoor conveyed, in substance, that unless the complainant complied with his demand, he would not permit the complainant to continue his lawful work. The complainant initially refused to succumb to such illegal demands.
"However, the accused continued making calls, issuing threats and creating obstacles in the lawful work of the complainant," the complaint read.
Ganie also alleged that he paid Rs 54,000 to the BJP leader in two instalments in November last year.
"The said payments were not voluntary payments made out of free will. They were made under the continuous pressure, threats, intimidation and apprehension created by the accused," the complaint said.
Gayoor suspended from all posts
Following registration of the case, J&K BJP general secretary Mohammad Anwar Khan placed Gayoor under suspension from all organisational posts after consulting senior party leaders.
"Pending finalisation of the disciplinary proceedings, Showkat Gayoor Andrabi is hereby suspended from all organisational posts and responsibilities of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), including the post of district president Pulwama, with immediate effect," the suspension order read.
Earlier, BJP's Bandipora president was arrested for demanding money from a woman.
In 2022, the Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested Abdul Rehman Tikri, the then BJP district president of Bandipora, along with another party leader, Mushtaq Ahmad, a Sarpanch, after a woman filed a complaint against them.
The woman alleged that the duo had extorted Rs 1 lakh from her on the promise of getting her brother released from police custody.
A case (FIR No. 64) under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered against the accused, and an investigation was initiated.
The money was also seized from the accused. Both were later released after questioning after they produced anticipatory bail orders.
BJP Sarpanch arrested by NIA in 2020
In May 2020, a BJP Sarpanch was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for allegedly providing support to terrorists active in the Kashmir Valley.
The NIA, which was probing the alleged police-terror nexus in Kashmir, arrested BJP Sarpanch Tariq Ahmad Mir of Maldeera village in south Kashmir's Shopian district in connection with the arrest of suspended Deputy Superintendent of Police Davinder Singh along with Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists in January 2020.
The investigating agency alleged that Mir had provided logistical support to terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir and was in touch with Davinder Singh, the suspended Deputy Superintendent of Police.
