Jammu, Dec 19: The State Investigation Agency (SIA) of Kashmir has submitted a supplementary chargesheet against Mian Abdul Qayoom, a Senior Lawyer and former President of the High Court Bar Association (HCBA) Kashmir, in the high-profile Babar Qadri murder case before the Third Additional Sessions Judge in Jammu.
Babar Qadri, a promising young lawyer from Srinagar in his late twenties, was tragically shot by terrorists at his residence in Zahidpura (Hawal) Srinagar on September 24, 2020.
According to a release from the Police Headquarters, the SIA’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) presented a substantial 340-page supplementary chargesheet detailing Mian Qayoom’s alleged involvement in the case, while further inquiries under Section 173(8) will continue.
The initial chargesheet was filed in front of the Special NIA Court in Srinagar, but in December 2023, the High Court transferred the trial to Jammu, citing significant interference in the judicial process by Qayoom and threats made against the family of the deceased.
Mian Qayoom is currently incarcerated at the District Jail Amphalla in Jammu.
The SIT took charge of the investigation and, based on compelling oral, documentary, and technical evidence, arrested Qayoom on June 25, 2024, identifying him as the principal conspirator behind the murder.
The extensive investigation conducted by the SIA revealed that Qayoom, who had a contentious relationship with Babar Qadri, orchestrated the lawyer’s murder through connections with the TRF terrorists and their handlers in Pakistan, forming a criminal conspiracy.
The TRF is known as a proxy group for the notorious LeT, established following the events of August 5, 2019.
Babar Qadri was a vocal advocate who often challenged Mian Qayoom’s authority within the HCBA Kashmir and criticized him for leveraging the association to advance his secessionist ambitions.
Moreover, Qadri had founded a dissident faction within the HCBA called the Kashmir Lawyers Club, which gained a considerable following among young lawyers. He was also planning to contest the upcoming Bar elections against Qayoom, further fueling his animosity.
The chargesheet indicates that Qayoom has a history of supporting terrorism and is considered a diehard secessionist, with multiple cases against him relating to anti-national activities. (Agencies)
