New Delhi: A chargesheet has been filed against Farooq Abdullah -- former Chief Minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir -- in a money laundering case related to the alleged financial irregularities in the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association. The Enforcement Directorate, which filed the chargesheet, has questioned Mr Abdullah, 84, several times. The last time was on May 31, when he was questioned for more than three hours in Srinagar .
The three-time chief minister had also recorded his statement in the same case in 2019. In December 2020, the agency had attached Mr Abdullah's properties worth Rs 11.86 crore.
The case involves siphoning of funds belonging to the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association, which were transferred to personal bank accounts of various people including the office bearers of cricket association. The agency started a money laundering investigation on the basis of a chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation against office bearers of the association.
The agency had alleged that Mr Abdullah "misused" his position as the president of the association and made appointments in the sports body so that the BCCI-sponsored funds could be laundered. Mr Abdullah was the JKCA president from 2001 to 2012. The alleged scam being probed by the CBI and the ED apparently took place between 2004 and 2009.
In September 2019, the agency arrested Ahsan Ahmad Mirza, then Treasurer of JKCA. A trial is in progress against him. Further investigation into the matter is in progress, the agency has said.
"Dr Farooq Abdullah shall always stick to the truth, no matter how stories are fabricated, truth manipulated and dissent suppressed however he will cooperate with the agencies and vindicate himself," the National Conference said in a tweet.
Political parties in Kashmir Valley earlier said summons by Central investigation agencies are "common to all opposition leaders" in the country. Mr Abdullah had said the Central agencies will continue to trouble the opposition leaders till the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are held.