Srinagar, Mar 12 (NVI): A court in Srinagar on Thursday issued a non-bailable warrant against Farooq Abdullah after rejecting his plea seeking exemption from personal appearance in the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) scam case.
The order was passed by the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Srinagar, during a hearing on the framing of charges in the case.
Abdullah did not appear before the court and his counsel sought exemption citing his inability to attend the proceedings. However, the court noted that the defence declined the option of ensuring his presence through virtual mode and subsequently ordered issuance of a non-bailable warrant against him.
The court has listed the matter for further proceedings on March 30.
The case relates to alleged financial irregularities in the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association during Abdullah’s tenure as its president. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which took over the probe in 2015 following directions from the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, filed a chargesheet in 2018 alleging that more than ₹43 crore meant for cricket development in Jammu and Kashmir was misappropriated between 2002 and 2011.
The funds were part of grants exceeding ₹100 crore released by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for cricket development in the region.
Abdullah has denied the allegations and termed them politically motivated. The development comes a day after a firing incident at a wedding function in Jammu attended by Abdullah, where a man allegedly opened fire before being overpowered by security personnel. The veteran leader escaped unhurt. (NVI)
