PDP rejects CBI clean chit to Omar in sex scandal case

Srinagar, July 29 (PTI) Opposition People's Democratic
Party (PDP) Wednesday rejected the clean chit given by Central
Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to the Chief Minister of India's
northern state of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah in the
infamous 2006 sex scandal case and demanded a judicial probe
into the issue.

The demand was made by PDP members in the state
assembly when Speaker M A Lone told the House that "we have
received a clarification from the CBI that Omar Abdullah's
name does not figure in the list of accused in the case".

Omar was not present in the assembly.

Earlier, CBI in a communication to the Speaker said,
"This is clarified that nine chargesheets in the CBI case were
filed in the competent court against 17 accused persons. The
name of Omar Abdullah, son of Farooq Abdullah, does not figure
in the list of the accused persons who were chargesheeted in
the case."

The Speaker tabled the CBI letter in the House.

However, agitated PDP members led by their chief
Mehbooba Mufti alleged that the CBI was trying to cover up the
serious matter to save some bigwigs.

Mufti, who tore a copy of the CBI letter, said, "We
demand a judicial probe into the allegations. The CBI probe is
not acceptable".

After the PDP claimed Tuesday that Omar's name figured
in the case, the National Conference leader met the Governor N
N Vohra and submitted his resignation. Omar, who was asked to
continue in office, had demanded an inquiry into the issue as
he wanted his name to be cleared.

PDP members also raised slogans in the House.

The Speaker tried to cool the tempers and allowed PDP
deputy leader Muzaffar Hussain Beigh to speak but he was
shouted down by ruling National Conference (NC) party members
who moved a privilege motion against Beigh and Mufti.

NC members said since the privilege motion is pending
with the Speaker, Beigh could not be given a chance to speak.

As the uproar continued, the Speaker adjourned the
House for 15 minutes.

Omar, who had tendered his resignation, said the
Governor should institute an inquiry on a time-bound basis
into the allegations made against his moral character by Beigh
in the assembly.

Vohra had asked Omar to continue to discharge his
responsibilities "till a final decision is taken".

Replying to questions on the allegation made by him,
Beigh later said, "I did not say he (Omar) was an accused
because the accused people have been chargesheeted.

"I had said on the floor of the House that the first
list of the accused was chargesheeted but the High Court was
not satisfied with it and they had said that there are other
politicians and cabinet ministers and high-ranking officials
against whom there is a need for further investigation and
they ordered CBI to conduct further investigation.

"This order was passed on October 8, 2007. Nothing has
been done so far. All I said was that you follow the
directions of the High Court and conduct further
investigations into the list of the people who are suspects,"
Beigh said.

His party leader Mufti said that the High Court
judgement had stated that once the names of politicians
started coming up in the list of suspects, the CBI had been
dragging its feet.

"That is what has been happening for the last one
year...We had said not only Omar Abdullah there are other
people also. But because of Omar Abdullah and maybe because of
Farooq Abdullah other people also got a lease of life," she
alleged.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq
Abdullah said, "that the PDP had just one objective and that
was to create chaos.

"They do not want development in Kashmir nor do they
want people happy and settled there. On the first day (in the
assembly) they had attacked the speaker and on the second day
the chief minister. They don't have any other work," he said.
PTI