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Srinagar court orders framing of charges against Farooq Abdullah in JKCA case
Srinagar CJM sets March 12 for formal proceedings; dismisses ED’s plea to intervene in CBI-led probe.
A Srinagar court on Friday directed the framing of charges against National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah and several others in the ₹113-crore Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) financial irregularities case.
Chief judicial magistrate (CJM), Srinagar, Tabassum, ordered the matter to be listed for March 12 for the formal framing of charges.
The court’s five-page order noted that once charges are framed, the statements of two accused, who have turned approvers, will be recorded as evidence.
ED’s intervention application rejected
In a setback for the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the court dismissed its application to be made a party to the case and file additional charges.
The CJM ruled that the ED lacks locus standi in a case investigated and prosecuted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), particularly when the CBI’s chargesheet does not disclose a “scheduled offence”.
The court further criticised the ED’s application as vague, noting that the agency attempted to invoke provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) which have been repealed.
“The applicant is seeking to invoke repealed provisions of law... the IPC is not applicable in the instant case and was repealed with effect from July 1, 2024,” the order read.
The CJM clarified that the ED cannot assume a predicate offence has been committed; such offences must be investigated by the empowered authority, the CBI, which did not incorporate any such offence in its final report.
CBI registered FIR in 2015
The allegations pertain to the period between 2005 and 2012, during Abdullah’s tenure as JKCA president. The CBI registered its FIR in 2015 following J&K high court orders, alleging a criminal conspiracy to misappropriate funds provided by the BCCI.
The ED, which launched its own money-laundering probe, has previously accused the 86-year-old former chief minister of misusing his position to facilitate the laundering of funds.
The ED questioned Abdullah on two occasions in 2019 and 2020. In December 2020, it attached residential and commercial properties of Abdullah worth nearly ₹12 crore. Between 2021 and 2022, the ED filed its first and supplementary chargesheets, alleging Abdullah was aware of the fund transfers but failed to inform the working committee.
In 2021, the ED had filed its first charge sheet against former JKCA treasurer Ahsan Ahmad Mirza and other former office-bearers in the case.
Nothing to hide: National Conference
Reacting to Friday’s developments, National Conference spokesman Imran Nabi Dar said: “We have nothing to hide. The high court had earlier dismissed all charges against Farooq Abdullah.”
Earlier, the NC repeatedly termed the investigation a political vendetta by the Centre, linking the timing of the probes to Abdullah’s vocal opposition to the revocation of Article 370.
