Kamal Ghorui
File photo: National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah
SRINAGAR: A court in Kashmir has dismissed an application by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking to add charges against National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah and others in the Jammu & Kashmir cricket association (JKCA) scam case. The court said ED cannot be made party to a case that has already been investigated, filed, and prosecuted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).However, the court said there is prima facie evidence against the accused, including Abdullah, and observed that “the essential ingredients of offences under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 409 of the Ranbir Penal Code are made out” and the accused will be charged accordingly. The court listed the case for March 12, 2026, for framing of charges.In 2018, CBI chargesheeted Abdullah and others for allegedly siphoning off Rs 43 crore from grants provided by the Board of Control for Cricket in India to JKCA. CBI alleged the funds were misappropriated between 2002 and 2011 when Abdullah was the president of JKCA.In its chargesheet, CBI named Abdullah, then JKCA general secretary Mohammad Saleem Khan, former treasurer Ahsan Ahmad Mirza and J&K Bank executive Bashir Ahmad Misgar.
