Chandigarh, November 12
In a significant development, sixteen years after a charged seminar marking Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s death anniversary escalated into a call for secession, the Jammu and Kashmir Police have now taken decisive action. Orders have been issued to attach the Barzulla home of former Bar Association president Mian Abdul Qayoom as proceeds of terrorism under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Jammu and Kashmir police have prima facie established that former Mian Abdul Qayoom, resident of Bulbul Bagh, Barzulla, Srinagar, has used his residential premises consisting of two-storeyed house along with land measuring 02 Kanals, 01 Marla, and 90 Sq ft, for concealing incriminatory material and for furtherance of terrorist activities. Subsequent to that, the said property registered in the name of Mian Abdul Qayoom thus falls within the ambit of “proceeds of terrorism” in terms of section 2(g) of UAPA and is liable to be attached in FIR No 157/09, of PS Shaheed Gunj. Srinagar. It is alleged that Qayoom had also delivered anti-India speeches and raised anti-national slogans.
Making these revelations in an official release issued on Wednesday by the Jammu and Kashmir DGP Nalin Prabhat, it was disclosed that, “On December 31, 2009 , Police Station Shaheed Gunj received information through reliable sources to the effect that on the death anniversary of Late Ali Mohammad Jinnah, a seminar was organized by separatist leaders led by Feroz Ahmad Khan vice chairman Muslim League at Hotel Jahangir Srinagar, in which, amongst others, the participants including Aasia Andrabi, Shabir Ahmad Najar (District President Muslim League), Mian Abdul Qayoom (President Bar Association) delivered Anti India speeches and raised anti national slogans. They stressed that the future of Kashmir depends upon Pakistan and there should be Islamic law in J&K. Thereafter, a case FIR No 157/09 was registered with PS Shaheed Gunj u/s 120, 120-B, 121, 153-A RPC and 13 UAPA.”
The release further mentioned that during the investigation, statements of the witnesses were recorded, and it came to fore that the participants of the seminar had raised anti-national slogans and delivered inflammatory speeches, thus provoking the audiences against the integrity of India and urging the crowd to support secession of J&K from the union of India. “Whereas, on the strength of the evidence collected, accused persons, including Mian Abdul Qayoom, were found involved in the commission of the offences levelled against them”, the release read.
The police release also mentioned that during further investigation, the house search of accused Mian Abdul Qayoom was conducted after obtaining search warrant from the court during which incriminatory material in the shape of banned literature, a blank letter-head of Hizbul Mujahideen with a seal impression, a press note like document of Hizbul Mujahideen (typed in English language), a letter from Syed Salahuddin addressed to William Jefferson Clinton the then President of United States and a seal impression of banned Hizbul Mujahideen in Urdu were recovered from the residential premises of Mian Abdul Qayoom in presence of independent witnesses and Executive Magistrate. Accordingly, Sections 38 and 39 UAPA were invoked in the instant case. “In the wake of all the above-mentioned developments, orders have now been issued to attach the residential premises of Mian Abdul Qayoom”, the release stated.
