Even as the custodial death of a National Conference (NC) worker in Srinagar has ballooned into a first rate political controversy, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday once again dismissed the demand made by the People's Democratic Party (PDP), the principal Opposition party in the State, that he step down from office: the PDP's contention is that Mr. Abdullah may “influence” the judicial enquiry into the NC worker's death.
“The judge who will be enquiring into the case will not be answerable to my government. Where does the question of influence arise?” Mr. Abdullah, who was responding to questions about the Opposition's demand, stressed, “It is in my best interest and in that of my government that the truth and only the truth come out.” He would depose before the commission, he said, and answer all queries.
To a question whether a retired judge would head the commission in case the appointment of a sitting judge takes time because of the formalities involved, Mr. Abdullah said the State government had requested the J&K High Court Chief Justice to appoint a Commission of Inquiry.
Rejecting the contention of the People's Democratic Party that he might “influence” the judicial enquiry into the death of a National Conference worker, Mr. Abdullah said those demanding that he step down were undermining the judiciary.
“Let us not make a mockery of the faith of millions of people in the judiciary,” Mr. Abdullah told journalists here.
The 61-year-old Syed Mohammad Yousuf, died in police custody last Friday, shortly after he was handed over to the Crime Branch following allegations of extortion made against him by other party workers. He had apparently promised them a ministerial post or place in the Legislative Council.
What has drawn Mr. Abdullah into this mess is that Yousuf had met him shortly before he was taken into police custody — and one of Yousuf's accusers said on Thursday that when he emerged from the Chief Minister's residence in Srinagar, he was not looking well.
“Should I turn a blind eye to these allegations?” Mr. Abdullah asked. “I had called him and he agreed that he had taken money from two others. All I wanted was that he should return the money. I guess that was not a crime. And I had told him and the two others that the case would be probed by the Crime Branch.”
In summoning Yousuf, Mr. Abdullah said, he had only performed his duty to ensure an end to the vicious cycle of corruption. “Here I am handing over bribe-giver as well as bribe-taker to police. What is wrong in this?”
The Chief Minister said no one had “touched” Yousuf at his residence and he believed that no one had touched him in custody as well, as the preliminary post-mortem report clarified that there were no injury marks and that he died because of a massive heart attack, he said. On the claims by the family of the deceased that Yousuf had no history of a heart ailment, Mr Abdullah said: “There have been numerous cases where people with no history have suffered massive heart attacks.”
