The Bedi Commission which is probing the mysterious death of a worker of the ruling National Conference has sought yet another extension up to December 28. Justice (Retd) H S Bedi, a former Supreme Court Judge, had approached Law Department to give him extension of one month. Subsequently, the Law Department gave its assent to the requisition.
The commission was constituted on November 18 last year to probe the mysterious death of ruling National Conference middle-rung activist, Haji Syeed Yusuf, in the custody of state crime branch after he was handed over to them by the chief minister, Omar Abdullah on September 29, 2011.
Justice H S Bedi has an impeccable reputation of steadfastness, honesty, integrity and being God fearing. People in Indian judicial system swear by his integrity. But he is probing the mysterious death of Syeed Haji Yousuf from one year now and Yousuf’s family says that ‘Justice delayed is justice denied’. Although the term of the commission has been extended by a month, the commission is likely to submit its report to the government within the next two weeks.
Justice Bedi is probing the ‘suspicious’ death of the NC leader against whom serious charges of accepting money to get political berths to aspirants were raised. He had allegedly promised one aspirant an MLC seat and the other a ministerial berth. For this, the late Haji Yusuf is believed to have collected hefty sums of money from the aspirants.
Interestingly, both the aspirants who have allegedly paid to become MLC and minister respectively also belonged to the ruling NC and therefore it is out of the question that they did not know whether the money collector had the capacity to deliver on his promises or not.
Justice Bedi has concluded final hearing in the case, and according to sources, the probe is being given final touches. Yousuf was handed over to crime branch by Omar Abdullah on September 29 last year after he allegedly admitted that he had taken money from two National Conference workers for getting them berths in the Legislative Council and the state council of ministers. He died mysteriously in custody of crime branch, while Yousuf’s family alleged he was tortured to death. An autopsy showed that Haji Yousuf died of cardiac arrest.
The Commission was asked to complete its probe within six weeks but due to ‘unavoidable circumstances’, including pendency of a petition relating to the matter before the Supreme Court, the state government granted it extension from time to time.
