Advocate qadri murder case: J&K High Court Bar Association’s ex-chief sent to police custody till July 1

PTI

Jammu, June 26

Mian Abdul Qayoom, a former president of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association, was today sent to the police custody till July 1 by a special court in connection with the 2020 murder conspiracy of fellow advocate Babar Qadri.

Qayoom, who was arrested on Tuesday and brought to Jammu from Srinagar, appeared before the special court, which had ordered his police remand during in-camera proceedings.

Arrested on tuesday

• Mian Abdul Qayoom, who was arrested on Tuesday and brought to Jammu from Srinagar, appeared before the special court, which had ordered his police remand during the in-camera proceedings.
• Qayoom, who is the father-in-law of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court’s judge Justice Javed Iqbal Wani, has been under scrutiny in multiple cases, including the alleged grabbing of temple land and dishonouring the national flag.

According to officials, the police had requested a 15-day remand to interrogate Qayoom, but the judge granted remand till July 1, saying that that he should be presented before a designated National Investigation Agency (NIA) judge, who is currently undergoing training, on Monday.

During the hearing, Qayoom claimed that he was not informed about the grounds of his arrest. However, the claim was challenged by the police, which informed the court that the entire proceeding had been videographed and was part of the case diary.

Accompanied by armed guards, Qayoom — a notable figure linked with the All Party Hurriyat Conference and the banned, Jamaat-e-Islami — was escorted under tight security to Janipur District Court Complex.

He was moved to the State Investigation Agency (SIA) office for questioning regarding his alleged involvement in the conspiracy.

Qadri, a human rights advocate, who frequently appeared on television debates, was shot at his residence in the Hawal area of downtown Srinagar in September 2020. He had narrowly survived an assassination attempt in 2018.

The officials suggested that Qadri’s killing highlighted the use of violence to silence dissent within the bar association. He had publicly questioned the legitimacy and actions of Qayoom in various speeches and social media posts.

Qayoom’s rise to prominence within the legal community was marred by allegations of intimidation, threats and violence for maintaining control over the association, which he allegedly treated as his personal domain.

The case was transferred to a Jammu court from Srinagar in January on the grounds of ensuring a fair trial by the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court.

The high court’s decision had come in response to Qadri’s father citing the reluctance of Srinagar-based lawyers to render assistance due to the involvement of influential figures. Throughout his career, Qayoom has been a vocal advocate for Kashmir’s integration with Pakistan, employing tactics of protests and incitement of violence to further his separatist agenda.

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