Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and other accused individuals have pleaded not guilty to charges related to alleged misappropriation of funds within the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA).
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the case, involving allegations of financial irregularities, was heard by the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar. Farooq Abdullah, 88, appeared virtually before the court and responded to the charges read out from the CBI’s charge sheet.
When questioned by the court, Abdullah confirmed that the contents of the charge sheet had been explained to him and that he understood them. However, he strongly refuted the accusations, describing them as “false and fabricated.” Responding to the court’s inquiry about his plea, Abdullah stated, “No, I am not guilty of any of the charges.” He added that he had “nothing more to say except that these charges are fabricated.”
Other individuals accused in the case, who were present in court, also denied the charges levelled against them. Two individuals, who have been pardoned by the CBI and are not formally charged, are still required to participate in the ongoing proceedings until the conclusion of the case.
The court had previously, on March 2, observed that sufficient grounds existed to proceed against Abdullah. Essential ingredients for offences under Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 406 (criminal breach of trust), and 409 (criminal breach of trust by a public servant) of the Ranbir Penal Code were found to be prima facie made out. The accused named alongside Abdullah include Muhammad Saleem Khan, former general secretary of JKCA; Ahsan Ahmad Mirza, former treasurer; Manzoor Gazanfar Ali; Bashir Ahmad Misgar, an executive with J&K Bank; and Gulzar Ahmad Beigh. Charges were formally framed against these individuals.
The initial First Information Report (FIR) No. 27/2012 was registered on March 10, 2012, at Police Station Ram Munshi Bagh, Srinagar, under Sections 120-B, 406, and 409 of the Ranbir Penal Code. These charges stemmed from allegations of misappropriation of funds belonging to the JKCA. Following an investigation by the local police and intervention by the High Court, the case investigation was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The CBI filed its charge-sheet before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar in July 2017. Advocate Ishtiyaq Khan represented Farooq Abdullah in the proceedings, while counsel for the other accused were also present.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
