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Case relates to alleged siphoning-off of Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) funds

Srinagar: Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has filed a Supplementary Prosecution Complaint under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA), before the Special PMLA Court, Srinagar, against Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Ahsan Ahmad Mirza, Mir Manzoor Gazanffer and Others on 4 June 2022.

The case relates to the siphoning-off of Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) funds by way of transfer to various personal bank accounts of unrelated parties including those of office bearers of JKCA and by way of unexplained cash withdrawals from JKCA bank accounts.

Special PMLA Court has taken cognizance of the complaint and issued notices to the accused persons for appearance before the PMLA Special Court on 27 August 2022. The Supplementary Prosecution Complaint was preceded by three Provisional Attachment Orders on 28 February 2020, 18 December 2020 and 25 February 2022 attaching movable as well as immovable assets to the tune of Rs. 21.55 Crore in aggregate belonging to Dr Farooq Abdullah, M/s Mirza Sons, Mir Manzoor Gazanffer and Ahsan Ahmad Mirza.

ED initiated money laundering investigation on the basis of chargesheet filed by CBI on 11 July 2018 against office bearers of JKCA in case (FIR no. RC5(S)/2015/SCU.V/SC. II/CBI/New Delhi), lodged on 21 September 2015 against six office bearers of JKCA for the offences under section 120-B, 406 & 409 of Ranveer Penal Code (RPC) pari-materia to sections 120-B, 406 & 409 of IPC for wrongful loss to JKCA and corresponding wrongful gain to the accused persons to the tune of Rs 43.69 Crore.

The quantum of proceeds of crime identified by ED in this case so far, is Rs. 51.90 Crore out of which assets worth Rs 21.55 Crore have been attached by ED. Earlier ED had arrested Ahsan Ahmad Mirza, the then Treasurer of JKCA, on 4 September 2019 and a Prosecution Complaint was filed on 1 November 2019 against him, in which trial is in progress.

Further investigation in the matter is in progress.