The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday questioned National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah in connection with the purchase of a building by J&K Bank about 12 years back when he was Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister. The NC dubbed the ED’s action as a “political exercise” ahead of the elections in the Union Territory.
After being quizzed for over five hours at the ED office here, Omar told reporters that he had not been accused of anything and that he had answered them as much as he could. If needed, he would further help them, he said without divulging the details of the questioning.
The former CM appeared before the agency in response to a summon sent to him last week.
The case relates to the purchase of a building by the J&K Bank, in which the Government has 68 per cent equity, at Bandra Kurla in 2010.
A property measuring around 65,000 square feet was acquired at a cost of `172 crore, officials said.
The board of directors of the bank had set up a two-member committee headed by its chairman Haseeb Drabu which recommended the purchase of the property, in which another leading bank was also interested. The purchase was approved by the bank board, and the Chief Minister had no say in the matter, sources said.
Reacting to Omar's questioning, the NC slammed the move as a "vicious vilification" and "fishing expedition" ahead of the elections expected to be held later this year.
"There was a time when elections were announced by the Election Commission, but now it seems that elections are announced by the ED," the party alleged in a statement, which also said that the ED's action was another case of misuse of investigative agencies by the Central government.
During the questioning, Omar maintained that as Chief Minister, he had no role in the purchase of the building and the bank was subject to the supervision of the RBI, sources said.
Further slamming Omar's questioning, the NC said, "Over recent years, we have seen that wherever state elections are due, agencies like the ED move in and target those parties who pose a challenge to the BJP."
"We have no doubt that this "fishing expedition" will yield no concrete results to the BJP and the people will give a ringing endorsement to the National Conference as and when required," a party spokesperson alleged.
The Central Government has "made a habit of misusing investigative agencies" and Thursday's questioning of Omar was "another step in the same direction", the NC further alleged.
Even though this exercise is political in nature, Omar will cooperate with investigative agencies as there is no wrongdoing on his part and he is not an accused in any matter under investigation, the spokesperson added.