Express News Service
SRINAGAR: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti would appear before Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Srinagar for questioning in a money laundering case on Thursday.
Sources told The New Indian Express that Mehbooba would be appearing in ED’s Srinagar office tomorrow to face questioning in the money laundering case. “She had shown her reluctance to go to Delhi and requested the ED officials to question her in Srinagar and not in Delhi. Her request was accepted and now ED officials have arranged for her questioning in Srinagar tomorrow,” they said.
The ED had served notice to Mehbooba to appear at ED’s headquarters in New Delhi for questioning on March 22 after Delhi HC on March 19 refused to stay summons issued to her by the central agency.
However, the PDP chief had not travelled to Delhi on March 22 for questioning saying that she had prior commitments that cannot be cancelled.
On March 5 this year, ED had summoned Mehbooba for questioning in a money laundering case in New Delhi on March 15. The ED has filed a case against Mehbooba under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The summon had warned that in case she fails to give evidence as mentioned in the Schedule, she shall be liable to penal proceedings under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (15 of 2003). After receiving the ED summons, Mehbooba had alleged that Centre’s tactics to intimidate and browbeat political opponents won’t work.
“GOI’s tactics to intimidate & browbeat political opponents to make them toe their line has become tediously predictable. They don’t want us to raise questions about its punitive actions & policies. Such short-sighted scheming won’t work (sic),” Mehbooba had tweeted.
GOIs tactics to intimidate & browbeat political opponents to make them toe their line has become tediously predictable.They don’t want us to raise questions about its punitive actions & policies. Such short sighted scheming wont work .
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) March 5, 2021
Mehbooba, who is critical of Article 370 abrogation and demanding restoration of J&K’s special status, was released from 14 months detention in October 2020. She was among the mainstream leaders arrested on August 5, 2019 when centre scrapped Article 370 and bifurcated Jammu & Kashir state into two Union Territories. She was among the dozen mainstream leaders booked under stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) after her detention.
In December last year, ED had attached properties worth Rs 12 crore of former J&K Chief Minister and NC president Farooq Abdullah under Prevention of Money Laundering Act in J&K Cricket Association scam.
The attached properties include his Gupar residence in Srinagar, another residence at Katipora in Tangmarg and one in Jammu besides his commercial buildings at Residency Road, Srinagar and land. Abdullah, who is Srinagar MP, has challenged the attachment of his properties in Jammu & Kashmir High Court.