National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday failed to present himself before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) citing “out of town” as a reason, after a fresh summons was issued by the investigating agency in an alleged misappropriation of funds by the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) during Dr. Abdullah’s term as its president.
Sources said Dr. Abdullah could not present himself before the investigating agency in Srinagar, saying he was “out of town” in Jammu. He informed the ED by an email and a letter. This is for the second time this year that the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister could not produce himself before the ED for questioning. A fresh summons to Dr. Abdullah, also a Member of Parliament from Srinagar, was issued by the ED on Monday.
The NC leader has been questioned multiple times since 2019 by the ED, which is investigating alleged misappropriation of funds in the JKCA. Officials suggested that funds to the tune of ₹113.67 crore were released by the Board of Control for Cricket in India from 2002-03 up to December 2011 towards the JKCA. There are allegations that there was variation in the two sets of balance sheets of around ₹10 crores for the financial years 2007-08, 2008-09, and 2009-10. Dr. Abdullah was JKCA president from 2001 to 2011.
