Lone
says mother threatened by Dr Tabassum,
Sayeed’s wife & not Altaf Noorani
Peerzada to resign over
corruption charges
Azad orders CBI probe into ex-Minister’s
assassination
Baig-Shoaib tiff in Assembly, House proceedings
paralysed
BOSE driver arrested, mobile seized; case
registered
By Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU,
Jan 14: School Education Minister Peerzada
Mohd Sayeed, who is also president of Pradesh
Congress, tonight decided to resign from the post
of Ministership tomorrow after Independent MLA
Shoaib Lone said it was Mr Sayeed who had taken
Rs 40,000 corruption for giving approval of
Elementary Teachers Training (ETT) course to
Subhana Educational Trust, Baramulla, run by his
brother-in-law (sister’s husband).
"I have
decided to resign. I will forward my resignation
to Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad tomorrow to
facilitate a free and fair investigation into the
charges of corruption levelled by Mr Lone",
Mr Sayeed told the newsmen tonight.
Before announcing
his decision to resign, Mr Sayeed was closeted
with Mr Azad for about 15 minutes in Civil
Secretariat tonight.
Mr Sayeed said the
file of ETT course approval for Lone’s
brother-in-law had come to him on June 22, 2006
and was cleared the same day. He also showed the
file to the newsmen.
On whether he will
also resign as PCC(I) chief, Mr Sayeed said the
issue pertained to Government only and so he was
resigning as a Minister. A free and fair enquiry
should be held into the charges, he added.
Alleging that he
had been a victim of conspiracies earlier also,
the PCC(I) chief said that Vigilance Organisation
had cleared him of the charges in one of the
case.
Regarding a phone
call made by his wife to Shoaib Lone's mother, Mr
Sayeed said he will ask his wife whether she has
made any such call.
Peerzada
Sayeed’s resignation brings to an end the
political storm raised after Mr Lone had levelled
sensational charges in the Assembly on Friday
that a Minister had taken Rs 40,000 corruption
from him after giving 20 per cent rebate to him
for being an MLA for clearing the file.
After merely
the arrest of driver of the Minister, whose wife
threatened MLA Shoaib Lone’s mother on
telephone this morning, Mr Lone tonight said he
was forced to take the name of School Education
Minister and Pradesh Congress chief, Peerzada
Mohd Sayeed, who had taken corruption for giving
approval of Elementary Teachers Training (ETT)
course to Subhana Educational Trust, Baramulla,
run by his brother-in-law (sister’s
husband).
"I would have
revealed the name of Minister only to Chief
Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad as I had been saying
for last three days. However, I was forced to
name him as even after giving a telephone number
from where the threatening call had been made by
Dr Tabassum, wife of Peerzada Sayeed, the police
only arrested Peerzada’s driver and not his
wife", Mr Lone told the Excelsior.
"The
Minister, who took corruption of Rs 40,000 after
giving rebate of 20 per cent to me, for being the
MLA, is none else but Peerzada Sayeed", he
said.
Official sources
told the Excelsior that Altaf Noorani, a driver
of Board of School Education (BOSE), who used to
drive a Scorpio No. 3747 JK02U, was arrested by
City police from Wazarat Road near the residence
of Peerzada Sayeed soon after Mr Lone announced
in the Assembly that his mother had been
threatened on telephone of consequences saying
her son hadn’t done right by highlighting
the issue of corruption.
Mr Lone handed
over a chit to Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad
giving him mobile telephone number from which the
threatening call had been made to her mother.
Sources said Mr
Azad immediately directed DGP Kuldeep Khoda to
trace the caller and apprehend him.
Sources said
the mobile telephone No. 9419050423 from which
the call had been made was being used by Altaf
Noorani, driver of BOSE attached to Peerzada
Sayeed. Mr Sayeed, however, categorically denied
that Noorani was his driver or had even been
attached to him. The mobile phone has been seized
by police.
While Noorani had
only connected telephone, it was Dr Tabassum,
wife of Peerzada Sayeed who threatened my mother
that her son hasn’t done the right thing by
highlighting the issue of corruption, Mr Lone
said.
"Your son has
defamed us. My husband has good connections in
New Delhi. He (Shoaib Lone) will have to face
consequences", Dr Tabassum was reported to
have threatened Mr Lone’s mother on
telephone at 11.29 am, the time of the call.
Mr Lone was
informed of the call by her mother during lunch
break in the Assembly on telephone. Mr Lone
received the call in presence of NC MLA Mohd
Sayeed Akhoon and some mediapersons. Accordingly,
he raised the issue soon after the House resumed
after lunch break.
Police picked up
Altaf Noorani from Wazarat Road after getting a
message from top police brass within the Assembly
and shifted him to City police station. However,
later he was handed over to Gandhi Nagar police
station since Lone’s mother, who had been
threatened on phone, resides in Gandhi Nagar.
The mobile number
9419050423 was being used by Noorani but it had
been registered on the name of his relative.
Mr Lone said
police should have arrested Dr Tabassum for
threatening her mother but for mere an eye wash
they have arrested Altaf Noorani.
"We know
Altaf Noorani as he was driver with my father, Dr
Ghulam Nabi Lone when he was Minister of State
for Education before being assassinated in
October 2005", Shoaib said.
"As I knew
Noorani, I talked to him about getting ETT course
approval for my brother-in-law’s college. He
told me that Dr Tabassum had fixed Rs 50,000 for
granting ETT courses. After talking to the
Minister and Dr Tabassum, Noorani told me that
they had agreed to give me 20 per cent discount
for being a MLA and according I paid Rs
40,000", he said.
He added that ETT
course approval to his sister’s college was
given soon after the payment was made.
Sources said
Gandhi Nagar police have registered a case
against Altaf Noorani under Sections 107 and 151
CrPC and Sub Section 3 of 117 CrPC for further
investigations.
Earlier, Chief
Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today announced a CBI
inquiry into the killing of former Minister and
PDP leader Dr Ghulam Nabi Lone.
Though the Chief
Minister, replying to a discussion on twin
Opposition demands in the Assembly, agreed to the
demand for a CBI inquiry into Dr Lone’s
assassination, who was killed in October 2005 in
high security Tulsi Bagh area in Srinagar, a
month before Mr Azad took over the reign of
affairs, he refused to buy the theory that the
killing had anything to do with politics saying
it has been established beyond any doubt that
seven militants had hatched a conspiracy to kill
CPM leader Mohd Yusuf Tarigami but in the attack,
Dr Lone was killed.
Leader of
Opposition, Abdul Rahim Rather said the
Opposition was satisfied with the CBI probe but
it wants the "corrupt Minister" to be
removed immediately from the Cabinet. Two more
Ministers have been named in Kundal Committee
report, he said, demanding that the report be
tabled in the Assembly.
Proceedings of the
House were disrupted by entire Opposition
including NC, Panthers Party and BJP demanding a
CBI probe into the killing and removal of
"corrupt Minister" from the Cabinet
forcing Speaker Tara Chand to adjourn the House
for half an hour but the duration (of
adjournment) went on for more than one and a half
hour.
Mr
Rather’s adjournment motion seeking
suspension of entire business before the House to
facilitate discussion on issues of Dr Lone’s
killing and corruption charges was disallowed by
Speaker Tara Chand saying the Rules didn’t
permit the motion to be admitted on an issue
which has already been debated in the House.
However, after the House resumed after one and a
half hour long adjournment, the Speaker allowed a
discussion on the issues.
Independent MLA
Shoaib Lone, who had triggered commotion in the
Assembly on Friday levelling sensational charges
of a Minister taking Rs 40,000 from him, created
more sensation in the House after lunch break
today saying her mother received a call from a
Minister’s conduit in Srinagar this
afternoon in which the caller threatened her that
her son has not done the right thing by exposing
Minister in the House.
"There is a
serious threat to my life", Mr Lone, who had
won the by-election from Sangrama after the
killing of his father, said and walked upto Mr
Azad and handed him over a slip carrying the
telephone number from which the threatening call
to her mother had been made.
After receiving
the telephone number, the Chief Minister, Deputy
Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig and Shoaib
Lone remained closeted for about 10 minutes.
Later, Mr Azad left the House and walked-in to
his room attached to the Assembly. A message was
flashed to police and the caller was arrested.
Mr Azad
didn’t name the caller in the Assembly but
told the House that he has been arrested.
"If a link between the caller and the
Minister charged with corruption was established,
the Minister too will meet the same fate as the
caller did", he assured the House.
Alleging that two
SHOs and a DySP have been planted in his area to
assassinate him under the garb of cross firing,
Shoaib Lone said the Chief Minister’s action
only against the caller has clearly established
that the Government has two yardsticks for a
common man and for VIPs. Only the caller has been
arrested and not the real culprit behind it, he
lamented.
In his reply to
debate on the issues of CBI inquiry and removal
of corrupt Minister taken up in the House after
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Muzaffar
Hussain Baig urged the Chair to waive Rule 58 to
facilitate discussion on the issues, Mr Azad
didn’t agree with "political
conspiracy" behind the killing, as alleged
by Mr Lone, saying the militant attack was, in
fact, aimed at CPM leader Mohd Yusuf Tarigami but
his guard retaliated and killed one militant. The
militants then killed Mr Lone in his house.
Quoting from
inquiry conducted by the then Divisional
Commissioner, Kashmir B B Vyas, presently Finance
Secretary and police inputs, the Chief Minister
said a total of seven militants had hatched
conspiracy of the killing. While four of them
have been arrested and were presently in the
jail, two Pakistanis remained untraced. The
seventh militant was killed on spot.
"All four
arrested militants have confessed the killing.
Even our Investigating Officer (Mr Vyas) met the
arrested militants in jail and inquired from them
whether they have confessed the killings under
pressure. Their reply was in negative", he
said, adding entire evidence had been
corroborated including car used in the killings,
map of the area etc. In the current month itself,
prosecution sanction had been given to take the
case in the court of law.
Pointing out that
doubts were created over the killing right from
the day one, initially by media followed by some
people and now by Shoaib Lone, Mr Azad said the
case has clearly been worked out with confession
of accused and the Government has nothing to
hide. There was no political involvement in the
killing, he clarified but said the Government has
agreed for a CBI probe, which has been announced
by Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig.
This will satisfy the House and family of the
deceased, he added.
On charges of
corruption against a Minister, Mr Azad cautioned
some Ministers (albeit without naming anyone)
against allowing bureaucrats to enter their
bedrooms.
"Family
members, Personal Assistants or conduits have
developed a habit of corruption. Corruption was
prevalent even in bureaucracy, judiciary and
Army. However, the charges (of corruption) are
levelled only against the politicians as they had
to contest elections and opponents don’t
want to lose any opportunity of cutting them to
size", the Chief Minister said and cautioned
the Ministers that even their suits and watches
and their families while shopping are watched by
the people.
Invoking famous
quote that scissor’s wife must be above
suspicion, Mr Azad said some Ministers earlier
proposed to him the name of some corrupt officers
for particular postings. "Now I have
realised the situation and was not going to
oblige anyone".
He advised all
Ministers, MLAs and staff to keep a vigil on the
conduits. "Even hands of the families of
public representatives must be clean as they too
could bring defamation for the Minister", he
said.
Earlier, replying
to Shoaib Lone’s charges that the Court had
released a militant Shabir Ahmed Bukhari on the
ground that he was already in jail when his
father was killed, Mr Baig said what the court
had said was that Bukhari had already been
arrested on the charges of Dr Lone’s murder
and that when he was already in jail, there was
no need to book him under Public Safety Act
(PSA).
Mr Lone had
circulated cutting of a newspaper to media and
provided the same to Speaker Tara Chand saying
one of the accused in his father’s killing
was released by the court on the ground that he
was in jail when Dr Lone was assassinated.
"Who can get a person released from the jail
and get him back to kill his father"? he
asked indicating involvement of some influential
persons in the killing of Dr Lone.
Speaking to media
outside, Shoaib Lone continued his tirade against
the PDP saying the PDP was at the verge of split
and a list had also reached New Delhi having
names of eight persons who wanted to quit the
party when his father was assassinated. "I
was told by a senior party leader that name of
his father was at Serial No. 1 in the list of 8
members", he claimed.
"My father
was emerging like anything. He told me that he
was not satisfied with policies of the PDP. The
party even wanted to downsize him and this was
the reason that a MLC was made from the same
constituency", Mr Lone asserted.
On the charges
levelled by PDP MLA Nizam-ud-Din Bhat in
‘Sheherbeen’ programme that why Mr Lone
kept silent for two years, Shoaib said he had
raised the issue earlier also through questions
and gave several reminders to the Speaker also.
Referring to Nizam
Bhat’s reported assertion "Dene Wala
Bhi Chor, Lene Wala Bhi Chor (both recipient as
well as who gives corruption are guilty)",
Mr Lone said he was ready to face any action but
has taken initiative to expose corrupt practices
in Secretariat as he was feeling suffocated.
Asked why he was insisting on revealing the name
to the Chief Minister and not the House, he said
the Chief Minister can sack the Minister and not
the Speaker.
As House resumed
after one and a half hour of adjournment in the
morning, Mr Baig while agreeing for a CBI probe
into Dr Lone’s killing and seeking
identification and removal of corrupt Minister
from the Cabinet, said accusing fingers have been
pointed towards the PDP leadership on the killing
of his father by Mr Lone. The PDP was not going
to split, he clarified.
However, Mr Baig
stressed, if Mr Lone failed to probe the
allegations of corruption against the Minister he
too will be liable for action.
Mr Baig and Mr
Lone also had a tiff when the latter turned
emotional saying all belongings in their house
had been looted after the killing of his father
and there was no money left even to purchase
clothes for the body.
Pointing out that
the Assembly was not an emotional platform, the
Deputy Chief Minister charged Shoaib with
misleading the House. "He is misleading the
House and I, as a Parliamentary Affairs Minister,
has a right to point out the misleading
statement", Mr Baig said.
Shoaib countered
asking why Mr Baig didn’t turn up on
‘Chehlum’ of his father. Mr Baig
countered saying he went to Lone’s house on
very first day when family complained of theft.
"On 13th day of the killing, Shoaib came to
me seeking party mandate for the
by-election", Mr Baig alleged, a charge
denied by Shoaib Lone.
PDP Legislature
Party leader and Agriculture Minister Abdul Aziz
Zargar also wanted the debate to end when the CBI
probe had been ordered into the killing.
However, after
sometime, Mr Baig walked upto the seat of Mr Lone
and inter-acted with him for five minutes.
Participating in
discussion, Leader of Opposition Abdul Rahim
Rather regretted that no action is being taken to
check political corruption despite
Government’s claim of having launched a war
against corruption.
Quoting
yesterday’s issue of the Excelsior, Mr
Rather pointed out that Forest Minister Qazi Mohd
Afzal in an interview to noted journalist Ahmed
Ali Fayyaz has himself admitted that it was a
situation of total "loot and scoot" in
Forest Department. He quoted the Minister as
saying that there was too strong a nexus of
politicians and officers in Forest Department to
be broken by ordinary measures.
"Political
corruption is going on unchecked. The Chief
Minister has to act as not only the State but
entire country was looking at him. If political
corruption was not checked now, honest persons
will have to think twice before joining
politics", the NC leader cautioned.
Reminding Mr Azad
that he as an Opposition member at the Centre had
compelled Defence Minister in previous NDA
Government, George Fernandes to resign even when
only one of office bearer of Fernandes’
party was charged of taking graft at his
residence, Mr Rather wanted to know whether
principles followed by Mr Azad at that time have
changed.
"We have
reports that even Ministers were taking
corruption from Ministers", he alleged and
observed that this was a new record of
corruption.
CPM leader Mohd
Yusuf Tarigami was of the view that though the
accusing finger has been pointed out towards one
Minister, credibility of entire Cabinet has been
dented. "It was a critical moment for the
Chief Minister", he said advising Mr Lone to
share entire matter with the House when he had
raised the issue of corruption in the Assembly.
"I also feel
ashamed on corruption at political level",
Mr Tarigami asserted.
"Pending an
inquiry, the Minister has no right to be in the
Government headed by Mr Azad. War against
corruption has entered a crucial phase. The Chief
Minister has to act and act firmly", the CPM
leader maintained.
Panthers Party
leader Harshdev Singh said there were several
other cases of corruption. "We have written
to the Chief Minister several times on corruption
but our letters are neither acknowledged nor
responded", he lamented.
"The Chief
Minister has not called the MLA to ascertain name
of the Minister even after three days", he
regretted.
Harshdev Singh
said three MLAs of Udhampur district had briefed
Mr Azad about corrupt practices of a district
officer a year before. Despite assurance, no
action has been taken against him, he added.
Jugal Kishore
(BJP) said while the Ministers were giving 20 per
cent rebate to MLAs in corruption, this privilege
has not been extended to MLAs.
Ali Mohd Sagar
(NC) demanded tabling of Kundal Committee report
in the House.
Dr Mehboob Beg
(NC) called for a time bound CBI inquiry into the
killing of Dr Lone so that the people know who
had assassinated the Minister.
"The
Government has lost credibility with corruption
charges on the Minister. This is an acid test for
the Chief Minister to restore credibility. The CM
will now be judged by his actions", Dr Beg
said stressing for action against the corrupt
Minister.
Debate on the twin
issues in the Assembly proceeded on party lines.
While NC hailed CBI probe and demanded dismissal
of the Minister from the Cabinet, some of the PDP
and Congress members were of the view that the
MLA, who has given corruption, was also guilty.
However, the CBI inquiry was generally welcomed
by all members. Some PDP members demanded that
name of the corrupt Minister should be revealed
in the House.
Earlier, as soon
as the House met for the day, all NC members
besides legislators of Panthers Party and BJP
were on their feet demanding immediate dismissal
of corrupt Minister from the Cabinet and a CBI
inquiry into Dr Lone’s killing. During
uproar, Mr Lone also kept standing on his seat.
The Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister
were not present in the House during the Question
Hour.
All NC, NPP and
BJP members marched to front row shouting at the
Government benches and massing remarked on
charges of corruption against the Minister.
Mr Rather said he
has moved an adjournment motion under Rule 56 of
Rules of Procedure and fulfilled all formalities
seeking suspension of normal business of the
House to discuss the two issues. The Speaker,
however, disallowed the motion saying the Rules
didn’t permit an adjournment motion to be
accepted on an issue which had already been
debated in the House.
Anti-corruption
slogans also rented the House repeatedly.
Barring PDP
members Sartaj Madni and Shanti Devi of PDP, no
other coalition partner MLAs made any attempt to
counter the Opposition.
After 15 minutes
of uproar, the Speaker adjourned the House for
half an hour but the House eventually met after
more than one and a half hour.
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