india

Updated: Jul 31, 2019 17:57 IST

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and the President of the National Conference (NC) party Dr Farooq Abdullah was being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate at Chandigarh on Wednesday in connection with a multi-crore scam in Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association.

Abdullah was the president of JKCA between 2001 and 2011, a period, when the alleged irregularities to the tune of Rs 113-crore is said to have taken place. He was being questioned over suspected money laundering from the cricket body’s bank account, one official source said.

JKCA officials including Dr Farooq Abdullah were named in the FIR and the chargesheet filed by the CBI on July 18, 2018, alleging laundering of multiple crores belonging to the state cricket body to bogus bank accounts.

Farooq Abdullah had then claimed to have himself ordered an FIR and an investigation into the multi-crore scam.

JKCA General Secretary Saleem Khan, Treasurer Mohammed Ahsan Mirza and a J&K bank official Bashir Ahmed are other key accused chargesheeted in the case.

In 2015, the state high court handed over the investigation in the alleged Rs 113-crore JKCA scam to the CBI while naming the state police for failing to carry out the probe in a case involving high profile individuals like Farooq Abdullah.

Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) had given the money to the state association for the purpose of building an ultra modern international stadium besides promoting cricket in the state.

PDP president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti has criticised the move. She took to twitter and posted, “Misusing central agencies to harass & intimidate those who dissent or don’t fall in line has become quite blasé & brazen”.

In another tweet she wrote, “JK cricket scam is an old case that’s been under investigation for quite sometime. ED questioning Farooq sahab at a time when J&K mainstream parties are collectively standing up to protect its unique identity raises suspicions & questions”.

PDP President and former J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has accused the Centre of misusing central agencies to harass Farooq Abdullah. “Misusing central agencies to harass & intimidate those who dissent or don’t fall in line has become quite blasé & brazen,” tweeted Mehbooba.

She followed it up with another tweet, “JK cricket scam is an old case that’s been under investigation for quite sometime. ED questioning Farooq sahab at a time when J&K mainstream parties are collectively standing up to protect its unique identity raises suspicions & questions,” questioning the timing of the grilling in an age old scam.