KL Report
SRINAGAR
Describing NC patron, Dr Farooq Abdullah’s defence of the beleaguered BCCI president N Srinivasan as part of his cover up to escape punishment for alleged embezzlement in the J&K Cricket Association, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Wednesday said state government had deliberately stalled police investigation into the frauds in the state body.
Naeem Akhtar, chief spokesperson party in a statement said Dr Abdullah faced serious charges of loot, corruption, embezzlement and malpractices as president of the state cricket association and it seems he is paying back Srinivasan’s debt who looked the other way when the reports of fraud broke out.
“Dr Abdullah is facing more serious charges than Srinivasan as he has reportedly been issuing cheques himself for huge amounts from unauthorised bank accounts,” Akhtar said. “The news reports had placed the embezzled amount at about Rs 50 crores but the police even after registering the case had not carried out investigation.”
PDP spokesman said senior Abdullah’s remarks of calling Srinivasan as a gentleman is understandable only as much as his own continuation in office as association president and Union minister
“Abdullah has been running the affairs of the cricket association as a personal company that not only spends huge funds without any financial discipline or scrutiny but has also indulged in grabbing prime government land to build its assets through blue eyed contractors,” Akhtar said.
At a time, spokesman said, when all leading lights of the BCCI are asking Srinivasan to step down, Abdullah stuck to his position with obvious help from his friends in the BCCI and the state government headed by his son.
“Now that pressure is mounting on Srinivasan to step aside till a probe is completed into the alleged misdeeds of his son in law it is time for Dr Abdullah too to immediately step down,” Akhtar said.
He said the state police must come out with the status of investigation in the case and explain why no arrests were made even in the face of documentary evidence available in public domain.
Pointing to the double standards practiced in dealing with corruption in J&K Akhtar said while Srinivasan is rightly asked to step down to facilitate a fair probe, no voices were raised when the cricket scam came into light in here.
“Law took its due course against many mighty politicians like Kalmadi and D Raja but in case of Kashmir the corrupt politicians are enjoying immunity while the common people are being pushed into jails, killed on streets and prosecuted for waging war against the state even for carrying a stone and other flimsy grounds,” he said.
“This has resulted in a situation in which most of the ruling class is facing serious corruption charges and people feeling that those who deserved to be in jail are in positions of power.”
