The Enforcement Directorate has again summoned National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday (February 13) for questioning in a money laundering case. This comes after he skipped his first summon on January 11. The 86-year-old politician has been called in connection with the federal agency's investigation into alleged irregularities in the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA).
When Abdullah was charge-sheeted?
Abdullah was charge-sheeted by the central agency in the case in 2022. The case relates to siphoning off the funds of the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association by way of transfer to various personal bank accounts of unrelated parties, including those of JKCA office bearers, and by way of unexplained cash withdrawals from JKCA bank accounts.
What is the case?
The agency's case is based on a 2018 charge sheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against the same accused. The BCCI has allocated a sum of Rs 112 crore to JKCA, out of which a scam of Rs 43.6 crore was revealed. This scam allegedly took place when Abdullah was the President of the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association between 2001 and 2012.
Abdullah asked to appear in Srinagar's ED office
It should be mentioned here that the summons have asked the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir to depose at the ED office in Srinagar. The quantum of proceeds of crime identified by ED in this case so far is Rs 51.90 crore, out of which assets worth Rs 21.55 crore have been attached by ED. The ED earlier arrested Ahsan Ahmad Mirza, the then treasurer of JKCA, on September 4, 2019, and a prosecution complaint was filed on November 1, 2019, against him.
ALSO READ: Blow to Farooq Abdullah as several top National Conference leaders join BJP in Jammu and Kashmir