Babar Qadri Assassination: Houses of three lawyers including Mian Qayoom raided in murder case
The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday conducted searches at the residence and office of three lawyers including former J&K High Court Bar Association (JKHBA) president Mian Qayoom in connection with the 2020 murder of outspoken Kashmiri lawyer Babar Qadri.
Vijay Kumar, additional director general of police (Kashmir) said the searches were conducted at premises linked to lawyers, Miyan Qayoom, Manzoor Dar and Muzaffar in connection with Babar Qadri’s murder.
Police said simultaneous searches were carried out at four locations, two in Barzulla area and one each in Brein Nishat and Maisuma. “All procedures as per due process of law were followed in the searches so conducted in presence of executive magistrates. Deputy Superintendent level officers personally supervised and led these searches at all locations,” the Srinagar Police said in a statement.
Qadri, in his 30s, was shot dead by two people who came as clients to his Srinagar house and shot him dead in September 2020. In August last year, a special team set up by the state police filed charges against five suspects. When security forces eliminated Abbas Shiekh, chief commander of The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow front of LeT, and his deputy Saqib Manzoor, in September, the Kashmir Police underlined that Saqib Manzoor was also involved in Qadri’s murder.
In a 30-minute video on Facebook just hours before his death, Qadri launched a sharp attack on Mian Qayoom, accused him of suppressing dissent and turning the bar association into a tool for the Hurriyat Conference faction led by separatist SAS Geelani. He also expressed apprehension about his life
The Srinagar Police said Wednesday’s searches were carried out in view of “certain new evidence” that has turned up and that they “have the potential to unravel the conspiracy part in the killing”.
“Digital devices, bank statements, property sale agreements, ‘suspicious books’ and other relevant material were seized during the searches,” the police statement added.
