Lawyer Babar Qadri who was killed. file Photo Credit: Special Arrangements
The State Investigation Agency (SIA), a special branch of the J&K Police, on Thursday (December 19, 2024) filed a supplementary chargesheet against 80-year-old Mian Abdul Qayyum, former president of the High Court Bar Association-Kashmir (HCBA-K). , and claimed documentary and technical evidence about his role in the assassination of lawyer Babar Qadri in 2020.
Mr. Qayyum is a senior lawyer and was seen as a close aide of late Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani. He served as president of HCBA-K on several occasions and supported Mr. Gilani’s protest calls.
An SIT spokesperson said it took over the investigation and based on sufficient oral, documentary and technical evidence, it arrested Mr Qayoum on June 25 this year “as the main conspirator behind Qadri’s murder”.
The SIA submitted a fresh charge sheet before the Additional Sessions Judge, Jammu.
“During a thorough investigation by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), it was revealed that Qayyum, who had a hostile relationship with the deceased, killed Babar Qadri through terrorists of the TRF (The Resistance Front) and their handlers in Pakistan. hatching a criminal conspiracy,” the SIA said.
The Special Wing of Police said Qadri was a very vocal young lawyer, “who not only questioned Mr Qayoom’s one-upmanship in HCBA-K but also criticized him several times for using the platform to further his separatist agenda”.
“The deceased had also established a dissident body within the HCBA called the Kashmir Lawyers Club, which was attracting a large number of young lawyers. Besides, the deceased was also thinking of contesting against Qayyum in the upcoming bar elections. All these opposed Mr. Qayyum who on several occasions Also threatened the deceased,” the SIA said.
SIA said Qadri “went live on Facebook on September 24, 2020 (afternoon) and condemned Mr. Qayoom for his policies”. “Qadri also expressed his fear of being eliminated at the hands of Mian Qayyum and his group. Ironically, a few hours later, he was killed in cold blood at his own residence,” SIA said.
Qadri was murdered at his house in Hawal area of Srinagar. “One of the terrorists was waiting outside the main gate to watch the surrounding events, the remaining two who had come with dummy case files were made to sit on the chairs placed in the verandah. Soon Qadri came out of the house to meet them and was shot a few minutes later. After committing the act, the terrorists fled from the spot,” the SIA said.
published – December 19, 2024 at 10:45 am IST