The State Investigation Agency (SIA ) Kashmir today filed a supplementary chargesheet against Mian Abdul Qayoom, senior lawyer and former President High Court Bar Association (HCBA) Kashmir in the much-publicized Babar Qadri murder case before the Special NIA Court in Jammu.
Babar Qadri, a promising Srinagar-based young lawyer in his late twenties, was gunned down by the terrorists at his residence, Zahidpura (Hawal) Srinagar, on 24.09.2020.
The investigation revealed that Qayoom, angered by Qadri's criticism and attempts to challenge his dominance in HCBA, orchestrated the killing through The Resistance Force (TRF) terrorists with support from handlers in Pakistan. Qadri had expressed fears about being targeted by Qayoom in a Facebook live video hours before his death.
The supplementary chargesheet, comprising 340 pages, accuses Qayoom of offenses under IPC and UAPA provisions. The first chargesheet was filed in December 2023
Babar Qadri killed in his home
Briefly stated Babar Qadri had just returned home after attending Court on the fateful day that three terrorists visited his house at about 6.30 PM and asked the domestic help for a meeting with him on the pretext of discussing some case.
While one of the terrorists waited outside the main gate to keep an eye on the happenings around, the remaining two who were also carrying a dummy case file were made to sit on the chairs placed in the verandah. Soon Babar Qadri came out of the house to meet them and was fired upon minutes later.
The terrorists after committing the act fled away from the spot. The badly injured Babar Qadri was shifted to SKIMS Soura, Srinagar but succumbed to his injuries en route.
Consequent thereupon, a case was registered at Police Station Lalbazar Srinagar and an investigation was taken up by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) framed by IGP Kashmir to be headed by SP Hazratbal. The SIT conducted the investigation and presented the chargesheet against six accused persons on 06.05.2021 before the Special NIA Court, Srinagar.
Investigation handed over to SIA
According to the spokesperson of J&K Police, the case was started on 06.08.2021 by SDPO Zadibal. However, on 20.07.2023, PHQ J&K transferred the further investigation of the case from District Police Srinagar to SIA J&K following which the Directorate of SIA J&K framed an SIT which was specifically tasked to unravel the larger conspiracy behind the killing.
The SIT took over the investigation and on the basis of sufficient oral, documentary, and technical evidence arrested Mian Qayoom on 25.06.2024 as the principal conspirator behind the deceased's killing.
Senior advocate got Qadri eliminated through terrorists
"It was revealed during the in-depth investigation conducted by SIA SIT that Mian Qayoom, who had an inimical relation with the deceased, got Babar Qadri eliminated through terrorists of TRF and their handlers in Pakistan by hatching a criminal conspiracy. TRF is a proxy outfit for the dreaded LeT formed in the aftermath of the 5th of August 2019", the police spokesperson said.
Babar Qadri was a very vocal young lawyer who not only questioned Mian Qayoom's one-upmanship at HCBA Kashmir but severely criticized him on multiple occasions for using HCBA Kashmir as a platform for furthering his secessionist agenda.
The deceased had also founded a dissident body within the HCBA called Kashmir Lawyers Club which was attracting a sizeable number of young lawyers.
Moreover, the deceased was also contemplating fighting the Bar elections against Mian Qayoom which were due to be held around the same time. All this antagonized Mian Qayoom who on several occasions also threatened the deceased.
Although Babar Qadri was very active on social and electronic media which he also used to criticize Mian Qayoom, he had a premonition on the fateful day itself. Interestingly he went live on Facebook on 24.09.2020 afternoon, and while denouncing Mian Qayoom for his policies, also expressed his fears of being eliminated at the hands of Mian Qayoom and his coterie. Ironically, a few hours later he was killed in cold blood at his own residence.
Qayoom has a history of terror sympathizer.
According to police, Mian Qayoom has a history of being a terrorist sympathizer and diehard secessionist. Several cases already stand registered against him for his anti-national activities. He had earned notoriety for treating HCBA Kashmir as his fiefdom and virtually converting it into a constituent of the All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC).
During the major unrests post-2008 in Kashmir valley, he was at the forefront of anti-India demonstrations and his calls for shutdowns coincided with the hartal calendars issued by APHC.
He was very close to the late Syed Ali Shah Geelani whom he regarded as his political Guru. He had also declared in open court during High Court proceedings that he neither considered himself as a citizen of India nor believed in the Indian constitution.
The initial chargesheet in the case had been filed before the Special NIA Court Srinagar, however, in December 2023 the High Court had transferred the trial to Jammu taking a serious view of the interference in the judicial process by Mian Qayoom as well as the threat and intimidation to the deceased's family. Mian Qayoom has since been lodged in District Jail Amphalla, Jammu.
