The State Investigation Agency (SIA) of Jammu and Kashmir police Tuesday arrested the former President of the Jammu Kashmir High Court Bar Association (Kashmir) Mian Qayoom in connection with the targeted killing of Advocate Babar Qadri.The investigating agency, which is learned to have collected some credible evidence, is expected to question the former Bar President further to crack the case.
Barely three days before he was attacked Qadri, had claimed a threat to his life in a social media post.The lawyer, Babar Qadri, who was a regular participant in TV news debates was shot dead on September 24, 2020, by two gunmen who came as clients to his Srinagar house.
A case was registered under FIR No 62/2020 U/S 302 IPC 7/27 IAA 13/16/18/20/39 UA PA at the police station Lalbazar Srinagar, which was later transferred to the jurisdiction of SIA Kashmir in August 2023.
The residence of Miaz Qayoom and other lawyers were also raided by the Jammu and Kashmir police to collect evidence in the case.According to a post on X, dated August 24, 2022,
"Srinagar police conducting searches at the residence of Adv Miyan Qayoom, Adv Manzoor Dar and Adv Muzzaffar Mohd in connection with further investigation of the murder of Adv Babar Qadri, FIR No 62/2020 of PS Lal Bazar".Qayoom, known for his close association with pro-Pakistan separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, was also detained by the police before the Abrogation of Article 370. He remained under custody for almost one year and was released in July 2020
The police had also alleged the involvement of Saqib Manzoor, a Lashkar-e-Taiba commander, in Qadri’s killing. Manzoor was killed during a police encounter in Srinagar alongside another militant commander in August 2021.
Soon after taking over the investigation in the case in 2023, SIA announced a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh for individuals who can furnish information that assists in the apprehension of those responsible for the murder of the late Babar Qadri, a senior Advocate of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.
