J&K Police raid houses of separatist lawyer, two more in advocate murder case

SRINAGAR: Police conducted searches at the residences of three lawyers in Srinagar in connection with the murder of advocate Babar Qadri, who was gunned down by terrorists at his home in Srinagar’s Lal Bazar area on September 24, 2020, said ADGP (Kashmir Zone) Vijay Kumar on Wednesday.
So far, five persons have been charge-sheeted in the case and are facing trial. The searches were carried out at the residences of advocates Mian Qayoom, Manzoor Dar and Muzaffar Mohammad after fresh evidence surfaced during the investigation. It is suspected that Qayoom was involved in conspiring Qadri’s murder. “As the president of the High Court Bar Association, Qayoom had expelled Qadri from the body’s basic membership and even had him assaulted by his associate advocates a few times,” said an intelligence officer.
Qayoom, who began his legal practice from Srinagar district court in 1976, has connections with Pakistan’s ISI and is a terrorist sympathiser. Qayoom worked as the chief legal advisor to late Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani during the 1987 elections, and was instrumental in endorsing strike calls and other programmes floated by Geelani, said official sources.
Qayoom also provided targets to terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizbul Mujahideen. “Any person who opposed terror outfits and expressed faith in the Constitution of India was gunned down by terrorists operating on behalf of Mian Abdul Qayoom,” said the intelligence officer, adding that he even used his influence to threaten lawyers who believe in the Constitution. Even today, Qayoom openly supports terror groups/terrorists and endorses terror attacks on security forces, besides frequenting homes of slain terrorists to express sympathy.
In 1990, Qayoom openly declared support for the secessionist movement and presented a memorandum to UNMOGIP headquarters in Srinagar. He was solely responsible for making the High Court Bar Association a constituent of the All Party Hurriyat Conference and drafting the Association’s constitution to include in its aims and objectives the secession of J&K from the Union of India.
“Investigators have gathered evidence that in April 2005, Qayoom made a public statement supporting terrorists, adding that their armed struggle (jihad) must continue till the goal of azadi (freedom) is achieved,” said the officer. Qayoom was also involved in indoctrinating vulnerable youth into picking up arms, although all his family members and relatives are engaged in mainstream professions with many of them enjoying positions in the government.
During the 2008 Shree Amarnathji Shrine Board land agitation, Qayoom played an active role in organising protest demonstrations throughout Kashmir Valley and inciting people against the government, said the officer. “In March 2009, Qayoom had said that Kashmiris should be proud of the 18 ‘Mujahideen’ who sacrificed their lives at Kupwara,” he added.
“In the name of ‘free legal aid’, Qayoom and the Bar Association defend the cases of all terrorists and stone pelters. In reality, however, Qayoom reportedly draws huge sums from Pakistan and terrorist organisations for fighting these cases. While heading the legal cell established and funded by ISI, Qayoom and his fellow lawyers — including the late advocate Shafqat Hussain — would plead and secure favourable decisions for the accused in cases of terrorism and secessionism since 1990,” the officer added.
While recording his statement as a witness in a contempt petition before the Srinagar high court in 2010, Qayoom had said: “I do not believe in the Constitution of India.” When asked by the judge if he wanted these words to be a part of his statement, the advocate affirmed the same.