NC worker case: J&K court dismisses plea for probe against top politicians

A special anti-corruption court today dismissed a plea for a CBI probe into allegations of corruption against several top politicians of Jammu and Kashmir following the death of a National Conference worker in police custody last month.

There is no occasion, at this point, to make any direction to CBI or state investigating agencies to probe the allegations, special anti-corruption court judge Mohammad Yousuf Akhoon said in his order.

While dismissing the application, the judge quoted several Supreme Court judgements which bar sub-ordinate courts except the high courts to make a direction to CBI to probe any allegation.

Syed Talib, son of the deceased National Conference worker Syed Mohammad Yousuf, had moved a petition before the court of special anti-corruption judge demanding registration of a murder case and CBI inquiry into the matter.

"The applicant who is the son of the deceased wants a direction from the court for registration of a case in due course of law by CBI or any other state agency," counsel for the applicant Mushtaq Ahmad Dar had pleaded.

During arguments in the court last week, the counsel had also pleaded that the investigation could be carried out by vigilance organisation in case the court was not in favour of a CBI probe.

The counsel pleaded that since names of top politicians including National Conference President Farooq Abdullah had figured in the allegations of political pay offs made by a witness, Abdul Salam Reshi, the case should be investigated by an independent agency.

Abdullah has denied the charges.

After the custodial death which sparked a political row in the state, Reshi had alleged that Yousuf had taken money from him and from another NC worker Mohammad Yousuf Bhat for getting them berths in the state Legislative Council.

Abdullah has denied that he or his party was involved in graft and asked the people to await the outcome of the judicial probe into the custodial death case.