Exactly a month after he skipped his appearance before the Enforcement Directorate in the much-publicized Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKSC) scam on "health grounds," the federal agency on Monday issued a fresh summons to the former Chief Minister and National Conference president Dr. Farooq Abdullah in the same case.
The Lok Sabha member from Srinagar constituency has been asked to appear in the office of the Enforcement Directorate at Srinagar on February 13 (Tuesday) for questioning in the J&K Cricket Scam.
According to reports, Dr. Farooq Abdullah has been summoned for his alleged role in pocketing funds allocated for developing cricket in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. Through a notice, the National Conference president has been asked to visit the Enforcement Directorate office on Tuesday.
Unlikely to appear before ED
Dr. Farooq Abdullah, the former chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association, is unlikely to appear before the Enforcement Directorate. A news agency quoting Dr. Farooq Abdullah said that he is presently in Jammu, so he could not appear before the ED office in Srinagar.
The news agency, quoting the National Conference leader, said that he won't be able to visit the office of the ED as he is presently in Jammu. "I will visit the office once I reach Srinagar," he said.
Skipping appearance before investigating
Despite repeated summons, Dr. Farooq Abdullah has been skipping appearances before the Enforcement Directorate since May 2002 when he was summoned for the first time.
On January 10, this year, a summons was issued to Dr. Farooq Abdullah in which he was asked to appear before the ED, but he skipped his appearance, citing "health issues."
Earlier, Dr. Farooq Abdullah skipped his appearance before the Court in 2022 in the same scam for "health reasons."
Quizzed by ED once
In May 2022, Dr. Farooq Abdullah was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for over three hours in connection with the J&K Cricket Association (JKCA) scam being investigated by the agency.
The 86-year-old National Conference leader had earlier recorded his statement in the same case in 2019.
Abdullah was the President of JKCA from 2001 to 2012 and the scam that is being probed by the CBI and the ED relates to alleged financial misappropriation between 2004 and 2009.
The ED has already attached properties worth over Rs 21 crore in connection with the case, including Rs 11.86 crore of immovable assets of Abdullah.
What is the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association scam?
- BCCI reportedly gave funds to the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association from 2002 to 2011 as a grant for the promotion of cricket in J&K.
- Out of which Rs 43.69 crore was allegedly siphoned off.
- In 2015, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court handed over the investigation to the CBI while indicting the state police for failing to carry out a probe in which Farooq Abdullah was named.
- In 2018 filed a chargesheet against four, including Farooq Abdullah, who was the president of the state cricket board over alleged misappropriation of funds amounting to Rs 43.69 cr.
