Assets worth ₹ 11.86 crore of National Conference president Farooq Abdullah have been attached by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) money laundering case, sources in the agency said on Saturday.
The Enforcement Directorate, which investigates financial crimes, is looking into money-laundering allegations connected to the J&K cricket body. The CBI had in 2018 filed a chargesheet against Mr Abdullah, a National Conference MP, and three others, for alleged misappropriation of ₹ 43.69 crore between 2002-11.
Sources in the Enforcement Directorate said the agency has issued a provisional attachment order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and the attached properties are located in Jammu and Srinagar.
The assets include two residential and one commercial properties and three plots of land.
While the book value of these attached properties is ₹ 11.86 crore, their market value is about ₹ 60-70 crore, officials in the agency claimed.
Mr Abdullah, who was questioned twice in Srinagar in the case in October, and his party have linked the investigation to the recent move by the 83-year-old to bring together all Jammu and Kashmir parties in a campaign for restoring special status.
“The letter from the Enforcement Directorate came after the Gupkar declaration. It is clear political vendetta after the ‘People’s Alliance’ was formed in Kashmir,” a National Conference spokesperson said.
“We knew it was coming,” said the party, adding that the ruling BJP at the centre was using its agencies to fight the new political formation because it “couldn’t fight it politically”.
“This is the price one faces when opposed to the BJP’s ideology and divisive politics. Recent history is witness to how the BJP has been employing coercive and intimidative measures through various departments to target opposition leaders across the country. The recent ED summons to Farooq Abdullah is a case in point,” said the National Conference.
Last year, Mr Abdullah was summoned by the agency was in July, days before the centre’s August 5 move to end special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and divided it into two union territories.
Mr Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah and their rival-turned-ally Mehbooba Mufti – all former Chief Ministers – were among scores of politicians detained at the time.
