Police attach property of jailed ex-Kashmir Bar Association president Mian Qayoom in militancy-linked case

SRINAGAR : In an intensified crackdown on militants, their sympathisers, overground workers, and support networks in the Valley, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat on Wednesday ordered the attachment of property belonging to senior lawyer and former Kashmir Bar Association president Mian Abdul Qayoom, who is presently under detention for his alleged involvement in the killing of a young lawyer in a militancy-linked case. Mian Qayoom was arrested for his alleged role in the killing of young lawyer Babar Qadri. Qadri, who was critical of Mian Qayoom, was shot dead by militants at his residence in the Hawal area of downtown Srinagar on September 24, 2020. Qayoom was arrested on 25 June 2024 as the principal conspirator behind Qadris killing. His habeas corpus petition and challenges to the arrest and remand process were dismissed by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court in February 2025, reaffirming the legality of the arrest and the ongoing investigation. According to the attachment order issued by the DGP, On December 2009, Police Station Shaheed Gunj received information through reliable sources to the effect that on the death anniversary of late Ali Mohammad Jinnah, a seminar was organised by separatist leaders led by Feroz Ahmad Khan, vice chairman Muslim League, at Hotel Jahangir Srinagar, in which amongst others the participants including Aasia Andrabi, Shabir Ahmad Najar (District President Muslim League), and Mian Abdul Qayoom (President Bar Association) delivered anti-India speeches and raised anti-national slogans. They stressed that the future of Kashmir depends upon Pakistan and there should be Islamic law in J&K. An FIR (No. 157/09) was registered at Police Station Shaheed Gunj under sections 120, 120-B, 121, 153-A of the Ranbir Penal Code and Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). During investigation, statements of the witnesses were recorded and it came to the fore that the participants of the seminar had raised anti-national slogans and delivered inflammatory speeches, thus provoking the audience against the integrity of India and urging the crowd to support the secession of J&K from the Union of India, reads the attachment order. It further stated that, on the strength of evidence collected, the accused persons, including Mian Qayoom, were allegedly found involved in the commission of the offences levelled against them. During further investigation, the house search of accused Mian Qayoom was conducted after obtaining a search warrant from the court, during which incriminatory material in the shape of banned literature, a blank letterhead of Hizbul Mujahideen with a seal impression, a press note-like document of Hizbul Mujahideen (in English), a letter from Syed Salahuddin addressed to William Jefferson Clinton, the then President of the United States, and a seal impression of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen in Urdu were recovered from the residential premises of Mian Qayoom in the presence of independent witnesses and an Executive Magistrate. Accordingly, Sections 38 and 39 of the UAPA were invoked in the instant case, reads the order. It stated that the evidence collected by the Investigating Officer has prima facie established that accused Mian Qayoom, son of Mian Abdul Rahim, resident of Bulbul Bagh, Barzulla, Srinagar, has used his residential premises comprising a two-storeyed house along with land measuring 2 Kanals, 1 Marla, and 90 Sqft for concealing incriminatory material and for the furtherance of alleged terrorist activities. The property registered under mutation No. 3314 in the name of Mian Abdul Qayoom s/o Mian Abdul Rahim, R/o Bulbul Bagh, Barzulla, thus falls within the ambit of proceeds of terrorism in terms of Section 2(g) of the UAPA and is liable to be attached in FIR No. 157/09 of PS Shaheed Gunj, disclosed the order. In exercise of powers conferred by Section 25 of the UAPA, prior approval is accorded for attachment of a two-storeyed residential house along with land measuring 2 Kanals, 1 Marla, and 90 Sqft situated at Bulbul Bagh, Barzulla, Srinagar, in FIR No. 157/09 under Sections 120, 120-B, 121, 153-A RPC, and 13, 38, and 39 UAPA, of PS Shaheed Gunj, Srinagar, said DGP Nalin Prabhat.