Srinagar: The J&K High Court on Monday directed the state government to investigate allegations made by CBI that its computers were stolen by the state police last year.
A division bench headed by Chief Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed and Justice MK Hanjura directed Additional Advocate General BA Dar to investigate allegations made by the CBI today in court.
Though the alleged theft took place last year, it was only today that it was brought to the notice of the court. According to the CBI’s counsel, the theft had hampered the investigation process into an alleged scam of funds in the Jammu Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA).
“Since the last one year we have not been able to investigate the matter as computers with data were stolen from office chambers of CBI,” Advocate Tahir Shamsi told the court.
CBI officer Balbir Singh told the court that the agency’s computers had been stolen by “state police led by SP headquarters” and said that “our rooms were locked after we came here in Kashmir.”
During a previous hearing, the CBI in its application had said that prolonged curfew in Kashmir had made the investigation into the alleged JKCA scam impossible. “No investigation could be carried out in the state due to imposition of continuous curfew,” the CBI had said in its application. “Whatever progress was possible, it was done by carrying out the investigation in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.”
The CBI had also stated that the bank accounts that were “clandestinely opened and operated for siphoning of funds of JKCA” had been traced. It said that a chart of the money flow had been prepared and the persons involved were being examined.
“Multiple bank accounts of different individuals in which funds of JKCA have been transferred during the relevant period have been spotted and documents collected. Reason for transfer of funds needs to be further investigated,” the CBI had told the court.
On Monday the court directed the state government that sports activities should not be stopped and the Sher-i-Kashmir international stadium should be upgraded and sports activities be resumed there.
“Not a single activity is done there. Why is a sport suffering? Long ago a couple of international matches were played, but nothing after that. Let the investigations run parallel to sports, not without them,” the Chief Justice remarked. ( Courtesy Kashmir Reader)
JKCA Scam: Our computers stolen by police, CBI tells court
