Facing charges of sexual assault on a woman doctor, former J&K MoS (Health) Shabir Ahmad Khan, is evading arrest from past 72 hours despite best possible efforts by the ever vigilant and competent State police force.
As per the political grapevine, the Congress MlA from Rajouri is staying with one of his relatives on the outskirts of Jammu but the State police has failed to track him down till late Sunday evening.
In the last couple of days the Congress MlA, facing charges of sex taint, made desperate efforts to garner support from within the party but found himself isolated as none of the senior leader was keen on meeting him or giving him the audience under the prevailing circumstances.
It is on February 6, 2014 a FIR under Sections of 509 and 354 of RPC was registered at the Saheed Gunj police station in Srinagar.
later, on the request of the State police on February 8, the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Srinagar, had issued arrest warrant against him. A six-member team from Srinagar is currently camping in Jammu and is searching different places to nab the former Minister.
Earlier, as per the directions of the CJM Court, the Speaker of the State Assembly was also informed by the police about the possible arrest of public representative.Sources in the police department claimed that a hot chase is already on against the former Minister.The alliance Government is also jittery ahead of the stormy Budget Session here in the winter capital.
The State police is expected to arrest the Congress MlA late in the night to save an embarrassment to the alliance Government on the floor of the Assembly.The Opposition parties in the State are already up in arms against the alliance Government as they believed the tainted Minister was being protected by the powers at the helm.
“It is difficult to digest the fact that a sitting Minister who was enjoying security cover before he resigned vanished in air and now the police is working over time to track him down,” a senior PDP leader commented.
Both Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and BJP have been pressurising the State Government to immediately arrest the former Minister and start due process of law.Meanwhile, the State unit of the Congress party which ensured timely resignation of the tainted Minister is grappling with another tug of war on the eve of beginning of the crucial budget session.
Inside reports revealed that at least three senior Congress Ministers and two legislators are trying to pocket the health department in their kitty.For the time being the Chief Minister has not handed over the charge of the Ministry, from the Congress quota, to anyone else.On the other hand, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday night hosted a dinner for the alliance partners at his official residence and discussed the strategy on how to counter the Opposition parties on the floor of the State legislature.