Omar rejects Oppn demand for resignation | Latest News Delhi - Hindustan Times
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Omar rejects Oppn demand for resignation

PTI | By, New Delhi
Oct 06, 2011 06:19 PM IST

Facing heat over the custodial death of a political worker, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday rejected the opposition PDP demand that he resign as he may influence the judicial probe.

Facing heat over the custodial death of a political worker, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday rejected the opposition PDP demand that he resign as he may influence the judicial probe.

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"How is it possible? The judge who will be inquiring the case will not be answerable to my government. Where does the question of influence arise?, Omar told reporters here when asked about the PDP demand.

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"Moreover, it is in the best interest of me and my government that truth and only truth should come out," the chief minister said, adding "I will be deposing before the commission and answer each and every query."

He said people who were making demands that he resign were undermining the judiciary of the country. "People have lot of faith in the courts. So let us not make a mockery of the faith of millions of people."

Asked whether he would go in for a retired judge heading the Commission in case getting a sitting judge would take time because of formalities involved in it, Omar said the state government has written to Jammu and Kashmir high court chief justice requesting him to appoint a Commission of Inquiry.

The row over the death of 61-year-old National Conference worker Syed Mohammad Yousuf allegedly in police custody last Friday shortly after being handed over to the Crime Branch in connection with bribery allegations has escalated triggering demands by PDP for Omar's resignation.

Yousuf was handed over to the police after his meeting with Omar at the chief minister's residence.

Omar said that by summoning Yousuf he had only performed his duty to ensure that the vicious cycle of corruption was put to an end.

Regretting the death of Yousuf, Omar said he would not like to pre-empt anything on this issue as he was "absolutely sure" that truth will see the light of the day once the judicial process will complete its work on unravelling all the facts of the case.

Seeking to put a stop to "trial-by-media", the chief minister said "it is unfortunate that certain section of media nowadays pronounce people guilty without even waiting for a judicial process to begin, forget about waiting for its end."

Omar said he had called the deceased to his home on the fateful Friday after he came to know that money was changing hands in the party for promising a berth in ministry or a place in Legislative Council.

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