Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Mehbooba Mufti was grilled by the officials of the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a case of money laundering in the Srinagar based zonal office for over five long hours on Thursday.
Initially, Mehbooba had refused to appear in person before the ED officials in New Delhi on March 22 but after the Delhi High Court refused to grant stay on ED summons, she was left with no option but to present herself before the investigating officers of the Enforcement Directorate.
Mehbooba arrived in the ED zonal office around 11.00 a.m and remained closetted for over five hours.Interacting with the media persons after her questioning Mehbooba Mufti tried to put up a brave front claiming, “my hands are clean, I have nothing to hide”.
Without naming anyone in particular Mehbooba in a veiled reference to the central government said they have been searching for two long years and now they have started questioning about my father's property in Bijbehara, money spent on his grave etc.”No rocket science is required to understand what they are trying to do, Mehbooba said adding that dissent has been criminalized in the country”.
“This country is being ruled by either ED, CBI or NIA. This country is not running according to the Constitution of India, it is running according to a political party's agenda”, she told reporters
Exhausted Mehbooba Mufti also maintained that there will be no change in the party’s strategy over fighting for the rights of people including the restoration of Article 370.
“One who speaks against you (Government of India) is being either booked under sedition charges or being summoned by the investigative agencies.
“I was questioned about my father’s property in Bijbehara, which we have sold out and was asked how you sold it and other related things. Secondly, they questioned me how secret funds were utilised during my tenure in office. They asked me who prepared the list of widows to whom funds were granted, how money was utilised for youth engagement programs,” the PDP chief said.