Article 370: Our struggle will go on whether i am alive or dead: Farooq Abdullah

National Conference (NC) president and member of parliament Farooq

Abdullah was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate on Monday in the alleged irregularities related to the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association. After which Farooq Abdullah reacted to this and said that this question has been going on for many years. This is not a new thing.

Talking to reporters after spending seven long hours at ED’s Srinagar office, Dr Farooq said let ED do their jobs and he will his own.“I am quite clear. I will always face them,” the NC chief told media men,.

Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Abdullah further said that we have to go far ahead. A long political battle will continue whether Farooq Abdullah stays alive or not. Our fight is to get Article 370 restored. Our pledge will not change even if I go to the gallows.

“My fate will be decided by the court when they would put the case into the court. I couldn’t have lunch today. There was no time.”

Our struggle will go on whether Farooq Abdullah is alive or Farooq Abdullah is dead.. Our resolve has not changed and our resolve will not change even if I were to be hanged," he added.

Asked whether he was summoned because of the formation of peoples’ alliance for Gupkar declaration, Dr Farooq said that “don’t bring Gupkar declaration in to this.”

On whether the questioning was regarding J&K Cricket Association scam, he said: “Apko kya chati padi hai (why are you bothered. Ask them (ED).”

Abdullah said the ED personnel had to do their job and he had to do his. "They were nice and very very good," the NC president said.

What is the matter?

The alleged scam came to light in March 2012 when JKCA treasurer Manzoor Wazir filed a police complaint against former general secretary Mohammad Salim Khan and former treasurer Ahsan Mirza. Soon, a list of about 50 names related to the financial scam was prepared. Abdullah had stepped down from the post of JKCA.

ED attached assets worth Rs 2.6 crore in a money laundering case involving alleged embezzlement of JKCA funds. In February, the central agency issued an attachment order against former JKCA treasurer Ahsan Ahmad Mirza and its finance committee member Mir Mansoor Gajanfar.

Case also filed against former JKCA officials

The ED case is based on the FIR of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in which the investigating agency later registered a case against the former JKCA officials. 

Which included general secretaries Mohammad Salim Khan and Mirza. The CBI filed a chargesheet against Farooq Abdullah, Khan, Mirza, Mir Manzoor Ghazanfar Ali, Bashir Ahmed Misgar and Gulzar Ahmad Baig (former JKCA accountant) in the Association of Control for Promoting Sports in the State between 2002-11 Out of the grants given by For India (BCCI), Rs 43.69 crore was 'misappropriated by JKCA'.

ED's investigation found that JKCA received Rs 94.06 crore from BCCI in three different bank accounts during the financial year 2005-2006 to 2011-2012 (till December 2011). The ED had alleged that 'although several other bank accounts were opened in the name of JKCA, in which these funds were transferred. Other such bank accounts along with existing bank accounts were later used to fund JKCA.