Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra has rejected Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s resignation letter and advised him to “most vigorously devote himself to discharging responsibilities” as chief minister.
The governor’s decision came after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs informed him that Abdullah was not involved in the sex scandal of 2006 as alleged in the state assembly on Tuesday by the Opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) legislator and Supreme Court lawyer Muzaffar Hussain Beigh.
Vohra concluded that “there is no basis for Shri Abdullah seeking to resign”, an official spokesperson said here on Thursday.
Beigh described the episode as a “drama” and said Abdullah had never resigned as chief minister of the state.
The PDP leader told HT that Abdullah was on record having told the assembly that even if the Union home ministry, which holds charge of the CBI that is investigating the sex scandal, exonerated him, he would still be unable to work as chief minister.
The scam had rocked the state after the police unearthed a prostitution ring catering to high profile clients, including top politicians, bureaucrats and police officers.
The scam was exposed after a teenager’s nude video clip was circulated on the mobile phone network. The case, investigated by the CBI, is currently being heard in the J&K High Court.
Beigh had on Tuesday said in the assembly that Omar Abdullah’s name was in the list of persons suspected to be involved in the racket. He had said Abdullah’s name figured at serial no. 102 in the list the CBI had submitted to the high court.
{{/usCountry}}Beigh had on Tuesday said in the assembly that Omar Abdullah’s name was in the list of persons suspected to be involved in the racket. He had said Abdullah’s name figured at serial no. 102 in the list the CBI had submitted to the high court.
{{/usCountry}}Beigh had said the division bench of the court comprising Justices Bashir Ahmad Kirmani and Hakim Imtiyaz Hussain had directed the CBI to proceed against Abdullah and others in the list.