ED summons Mehbooba in money laundering case

THE ENFORCEMENT Directorate (ED) has sent summons to former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti in connection with a case of money laundering. Mufti has been asked to appear before the agency on March 15.

Sources said the case pertains to a matter of “financial embezzlement” in which Mufti’s role has allegedly surfaced and a separate case has been registered by another agency.

ED officials did not divulge details of the case or the matter under probe, claiming it could jeopardise investigations. With Mufti being summoned, she will be the second key PDP leader being put under the scanner by a central agency in the past few months.

The NIA had arrested PDP youth leader Wahid Parra in November last year, just ahead of the DDC polls in J&K, in connection with its probe into alleged dealings of suspended Deputy Superintendent of Police Davinder Singh with terror outfit Hizb-ul-Mujahideen. Parra, who went on to win the polls from his constituency in Pulwama, was recently released on bail. The NIA had alleged Parra paid Rs 10 lakh to Hizb-ul-Mujahideen to ensure its support ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Parra had denied these allegations.

Protests over Mirwaiz detention

Protesters raised slogans and clashed with the police on Friday demanding the release of Hurriyat chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq from house arrest — amid speculation over whether he would be allowed to lead Friday prayers at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid. Police fired pellet guns at the scene, however no one was injured in the incident.

The All Parties Hurriyat Conference questioned Mirwaiz’s continued detention given that, “In the Indian Parliament, Government of India’s MoS for Home Affairs had categorically stated that no one in J&K is under house arrest. If that is so, why does Mirwaiz continue to be detained?” APHC said that late on Thursday, “police officials visited the Mirwaiz’s residence to convey to him that he will not be allowed to go to Jamia Masjid…”

(With ENS, Srinagar)