Jammu court extends police remand of Farooq Abdullah firing accused till March 23 as SIT continues intensive probe into motive

JAMMU, Mar 16: A Jammu court extended the police remand of the accused in the alleged firing incident targeting former Chief Minister and National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah till March 23, giving investigators more time to probe the motive, circumstances and possible wider links behind the case. Public reports said the accused, Kamal Singh Jamwal of Purani Mandi, was produced before the court by a seven-member Special Investigation Team of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, which is handling the high-profile probe.

The case relates to the March 11 incident in Greater Kailash, Jammu, where the accused allegedly attempted to target Dr Abdullah while he was coming out of a marriage hall. The matter has triggered serious concern because of the stature of the political leader involved and the security implications arising from an alleged attack on a former Chief Minister.

According to the prosecution, continued custodial interrogation was necessary to establish the motive behind the alleged firing and to uncover every link connected to the incident. The court, after hearing the submissions, accepted the request and permitted the police to retain the accused in custody till March 23.

The accused is being investigated in connection with FIR No. 29/2026 registered at Police Station Gangyal under Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 3/25 of the Arms Act. Investigators are understood to be examining not only the immediate sequence of events but also whether the accused had any association with an individual, group or network that may have influenced or supported the alleged act.

Earlier, on March 12, the court had sent the accused to five-day police remand after the investigating agency argued that sustained questioning was essential to verify the motive and establish whether the incident was an isolated act or part of a larger design. At that stage too, the court had underlined procedural safeguards by directing that the accused undergo medical examination every 24 hours during custody.

The latest extension indicates that investigators believe key aspects of the case still require deeper scrutiny. With the probe now under the direct watch of a Special Investigation Team, the focus is expected to remain on forensic findings, witness accounts, the movement of the accused, the weapon angle and any communication trail that could help reconstruct the events leading up to the alleged assassination attempt. This is an inference based on the prosecution’s plea for further interrogation and the formation of the SIT.

Given the prominence of Dr Farooq Abdullah in Jammu and Kashmir politics, the case has assumed major political and security significance. The extension of remand till March 23 gives the police a wider window to complete crucial questioning and place before the court a clearer picture of the motive and background of the alleged attack.