Jammu and Kashmir Police have completed and concluded its investigation into the high-profile Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) scam, and established the involvement of association president Farooq Abdullah, besides other members.
During investigation, police verified the letters exchanged between members and the cheques withdrawn, and scanned the J&K Bank account of the association operational at Srinagar’s Khanyar branch.
Police have ruled out the possibility of the account being bogus, and established that it was in the knowledge of senior board members and had been made operational with their nod.
Sources said the evidence pointed toward the involvement of Abdullah, also the union minister for new and renewable energy and ruling National Conference’s senior leader, in the scam.
The Rs 1.9-crore scam surfaced last year when the-then association chairman Muhammad Aslam Goni accused the association’s general secretary Saleem Khan and treasurer Ahsan Mirza of siphoning off the money by transferring into an account not related to the JKCA.
Both allegedly opened and operated the association’s bank account at Srinagar’s Khanyar branch of the J&K Bank. Money received from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was parked in the bank account, which did not belong to the association, and swindled later.
{{/usCountry}}Both allegedly opened and operated the association’s bank account at Srinagar’s Khanyar branch of the J&K Bank. Money received from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was parked in the bank account, which did not belong to the association, and swindled later.
{{/usCountry}}The bank has clarified to the police that “the amount from the account was released only after the authority letter of JKCA president Abdullah. It was duly signed by Abdullah on June 27, 2008.”
The JKCA, in its defense, has claimed that the amount was sanctioned by all members of the board. Abdullah had described the charges as “politically motivated” and claimed he never asked ex-treasurers to sign any cheque.
However, the police investigation has established the role of at least three association members, including Abdullah.
Under tremendous political pressure, police have failed to produce a challan in spite of the completion of the investigation nearly three months ago.
HT made repeated attempts to reach Srinagar senior superintendent of police (SSP) Amit Kumar, but to no avail.