09-05-2023 : In a hearing related to the multi-crore J&K Cricket Association (JKCA) scam, the trial court directed the Investigation Officer (IO) of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to be present at every hearing of the case. However, Member of Parliament and President of the National Conference (NC), Dr. Farooq Abdullah, was exempted from personal appearance. The Principal District Judge Srinagar, who was hearing the case, warned the CBI counsel for issuing warrants against the IO if he failed to attend the hearings.
The court was about to issue warrants against the IO, but after the assurance of the CBI counsel, it deferred the same and directed him to remain present on each and every hearing until arguments are advanced and completed by both the parties on the charge or discharge of the accused persons, including Abdullah. When the court called the name of Dr. Abdullah for his presence before the court as required under the law, the counsel representing him moved an application for exemption of his personal appearance, which the court accepted until the next date of hearing of the case.
The court also asked both the counsel to argue the matter on the next date as to whether the accused involved in the offenses should be charged or discharged. Other accused involved in the case were present before the court.
It is noteworthy that when it came to the fore that a huge amount of money had been misappropriated in the name of JKCA, the High Court entrusted the investigation of the case to the CBI with the direction to conclude the investigation into the matter within six months. After completing the investigation, the CBI produced the challan (charge sheet) in this connection before the court of law.
The CBI conducted a thorough investigation into the scam and collected 368 documents from various sources, including Srinagar police, auditors of JKCA based in Srinagar, JKCA officer Srinagar, BCCI Mumbai, HDFC Bank Mohali Punjab, ICICI Bank Chennai, different branches of J&K Bank located in Srinagar and Jammu. Additionally, 75 persons, including office bearers of BCCI, JKCA, banks, and private persons related to the case were examined.
It emerged during the investigation that crores of rupees had been paid by the BCCI to JKCA as annual grants during April 2002 to 31.12.2011. It was also revealed that huge amounts had been transferred from the accounts of JKCA to the accounts of different individuals who were either office bearers of JKCA or had no connection with JKCA during the relevant period.
The CBI traced those accounts that had been opened clandestinely and operated by the then office bearers of JKCA for siphoning off the funds of JKCA. A money flow chart was also prepared.
In the charge sheet produced by the CBI before the trial court, the name of Farooq Abdullah and the then office bearers of JK Cricket Association have been mentioned. The court also heard the challan with regard to money laundering of JKCA amount, which was registered after the challan filed by the CBI. The challan of money laundering reveals how the JKCA misappropriated money was laundered in various accounts.