Two ministers held over J&K sex scandal

NEW DELHI: The first political arrests in the Kashmir sex scandal came on Tuesday, with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arresting former Jammu & Kashmir ministers Ghulam Ahmed Mir and Raman Matoo under the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act.

Mr Mir, a senior Congress leader from the state, was minster for roads and bridges in the earlier Mufti Mohammad Sayeed government, whereas Mr Matoo, an independent, was with the industries ministry. Both are legislators in the J&K Assembly.

Mr Mir, known as a promising leader from J&K, was even nominated by the Congress Election Committee to be party president Sonia Gandhi’s polling agent for the Rae Bareli bye-election last month, but his name was withdrawn after his alleged involvement in the sex scandal case became public. Mr Mir was arrested from the J&K Kashmir House in the capital and Mr Matoo was detained in Srinagar, the CBI informed.

The arrests come a day after the J&K High Court directed the investigative agency to take “concrete action” on a statement made by the alleged kingpin of the sex ring, Sabeena.

Mr Mir, who represents Dachinpara and Mr Matoo, the MLA from Habba Kadal, have been taken into custody under section five of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act for procuring persons for prostitution, entailing a punishment of three-month imprisonment or a fine of Rs 20,000, or both if conviction takes place.

Though a J&K Congress spokesperson talked of a ‘deep conspiracy’ with regards to Mr Mir’s name figuring in the case, both the state and central Congress leadership took the “let law take its own course” line on the issue.

Asked whether the Congress was contemplating any action against Mr Mir or if it would distance itself from him, central party leaders said the matter was “sub-judice” and they would wait to hear from the High Court on the issue.

Immediately after their arrest on Tuesday morning, the CBI appraised J&K legislative Assembly speaker Tara Chand about the detainment. Mr Mir is said to have told his staff at the J&K house in Chanakyapuri that he was “going for a morning walk” while being escorted out of the premises by CBI officers.

The leader had requested the CBI to take him out of the house, without it being known that he was being arrested. Mr Mir, who is 50, will be taken on a transit remand to Srinagar, the CBI said. He had come into the capital on Monday evening. In Srinagar, Matoo also had early morning callers from the CBI.

With the arrest of the two, the number of people arrested in the case has gone up to 11. Nine persons, including Sabeena and deputy inspector general of the BSF KS Padhi had been arrested by the CBI and the local police for allegedly raping a minor girl.

The sex ring run by Sabeena had over 40 girls, who were allegedly supplied to security officials, bureaucrats and politicians. The former state additional advocate general Anil Sethi has also been declared a proclaimed offender in the case and has gone underground.

The CBI also submitted a status report before the High Court in Srinagar on Tuesday, which has set Friday as the next date of hearing of the case. The report showed the arrest of two former state ministers.