ED questions Farooq Abdullah in JK Cricket Association money laundering case

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday questioned former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah in connection with alleged siphoning off of funds given by BCCI to Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association. Abdullah was the then association president.

He appeared before the agency at its Chandigarh office where his statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). His interrogation continued for over five hours.

Abdullah and three others were booked by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on September 21, 2015 on the directions of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, which had transferred the investigation of the case registered on March 10, 2012 by Srinagar Police. The case was transferred to CBI on the directions of the court. ED had registered a money laundering case after taking cognisance of a CBI FIR and its chargesheet filed in July last year.


It was alleged that BCCI had given Rs 112 crore (approx) to Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association from the year 2002 to 2011 as grant for the promotion of game of cricket in the state of J&K, of which Rs 43.69 crore(approx) was siphoned off and misappropriated by the accused.

It was further alleged that during this period, Abdullah the then president of the state cricket association had connived with the treasurer of JKCA and others in undue siphoning off the funds and its misappropriation.