Farooq Abdullah, others plead ‘not guilty’ to charges

Srinagar, Mar 30: National Conference (NC) President and former chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah, on Monday pleaded “not guilty” to the charges in the case of alleged fund misappropriation in the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA).

As the case came up at around 2:30 pm, the 88-year-old former chief minister appeared through virtual mode before the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar, Tabassum, who read out the contents of the CBI’s chargesheet to him.

When the court asked Abdullah whether the contents of the chargesheet were explained to him and whether he had understood the same, he responded in affirmative.

However, he declined the charges against him as “false and fabricated”.

On whether he pleaded guilty to the charges, Abdullah said, “No, I am not guilty of any of the charges.”

On whether he had to say anything further, he said, “I have nothing more to say except that these charges are fabricated.”

Rest of the accused in the case who were present in person also refuted the charges against them, except two who were pardoned by CBI and were not charged.

However, the duo is supposed to participate in the proceedings of the case till its conclusion.

In the proceeding of the case on March 2, the court had observed that the essential ingredients of offences under Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 406 (criminal breach of trust), and 409 (criminal breach of trust by a public servant) of the Ranbir Penal Code were prima facie made out against Abdullah. Besides the former chief minister, the accused include Muhammad Saleem Khan (then general secretary of JKCA), Ahsan Ahmad Mirza (then treasurer), Manzoor Gazanfar Ali, Bashir Ahmad Misgar (an executive with J&K Bank), and Gulzar Ahmad Beigh.

The court framed charges against other accused.

On the allegations of misappropriation of funds in JKCA, the Police Station Ram Munshi Bagh, Srinagar, had registered an FIR No 27/2012 dated March 10, 2012, under Section 120-B, 406 and 409 of RPC. During the investigation by the Police and on the intervention of the High Court, the investigation of the case was subsequently transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

In July 2017, the CBI filed a charge-sheet before the CJM Srinagar in the case.

Advocate Ishtiyaq Khan represented Abdullah while counsel for other accused were also present.