JKCA case: Farooq Abdullah skips ED summons on health grounds
Farooq Abdullah skipped the summons of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on health grounds on Thursday. Abdullah was asked to appear before the ED office in Srinagar. However, officials said that the meeting of the ED with the former chief minister was cancelled on health grounds.
Former J&K chief minister and MP Srinagar, Farooq Abdullah skipped the summons of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on health grounds on Thursday.
Abdullah was asked to appear before the ED office in Srinagar. However, officials said that the meeting of the ED with the former chief minister was cancelled on health grounds. The NC president had conveyed to officers that he wasn’t feeling well. National Conference leaders feigned ignorance why Abdullah skipped the meeting. “I have no information about the ED summons to our president as I am in Delhi,” National Conference provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani said.
NC chief spokesman Tanvir Sadiq didn’t respond to calls about Abdullah skipping the summon. Mushtaq Guroo, PA of Farooq Abdullah, also didn’t respond to calls and messages regarding Abdullah skipping today’s summon. However, NC vice-president, Kashmir, Ehsan Pardesi confirmed that Farooq Abdullah didn’t go to the ED office today. “He (Farooq Abdullah) wasn’t well,” he said. Abdullah told the PTI that he isn’t going to the ED today. In 2022, the ED had pressed additional charges against Farooq Abdullah for alleged misappropriation of funds at the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association during his tenure as its president between 2004 and 2009.
In its supplementary chargesheet, the ED had said that funds were transferred and withdrawn from different bank accounts and Farooq Abdullah didn’t bring the matter before the working committee despite having full knowledge. The chargesheet also said Abdullah along with other office-bearers indulged in misappropriation of JKCA funds.
The agency had filed its first chargesheet in 2021 against one of the accused Ahsan Ahmad Mirza, former treasurer of JKCA and other former office- bearers in this case. The ED case is based on a first information report registered by the CBI in 2015, which alleged criminal conspiracy saying Abdullah had allegedly connived with other accused in misappropriation of funds. Meanwhile, the BJP today said “money siphoned” will have to be returned with interest.