Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Apr 21: Police have arrested Special Police Officer (SPO) and driver of the former Minister and sitting National Conference (NC) Member Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Rafiabad Assembly Constituency for being part of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) module that was busted with the arrest of top LeT commander in Sopore early this week, highly placed sources told Excelsior here.
Sources said that the SPO, Fayaz Ahmad of Alsafa Colony, Sopore in North Kashmir working as driver with former Minister and sitting MLA, Javed Ahmad Dar, was arrested by Jammu Police after the captured top LeT commander, Fahadullah disclosed that Minister’s driver was part of the LeT module.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested him from Jammu where he was performing his duty as driver with the MLA Dar. “Preliminary questioning of Dar led to the recovery of an AK-47 rifle and one magazine from his residence in Alsafa Colony, Sopore in North Kashmir”, sources said.
Sources said that Fayaz’s name surfaced after Army and Police captured top most LeT commander, Fahadullah, in Sopore early this week. Over two dozen militants and Over ground Workers (OGWs) including driver of the former Minister were arrested in raids conducted by security forces on the disclosures made by Fahadullah.
Sources said as Fayaz’s name surfaced during captured Fahadullah and other LeT’s OGW’s questioning, a top police cop immediately spoke to Dar over phone and in a harsh tone asked for his driver. “He reportedly levelled allegations against Dar for shielding militants”, sources added.
Sources said that a Police party from Jammu immediately took Fayaz into custody and questioned him. His questioning led to recoveries from his house in Alsafa Conoly Sopore. “A police party from Sopore brought back Fayaz to Srinagar from Jammu yesterday and he is being questioned for his links with the LeT”, sources added.
Dar who was Minister of State in Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah’s cabinet was dropped from ministry in mid-January’s cabinet reshuffle.
Dar represents Rafiabad Assembly constituency in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district and was elected as member legislative Assembly in 2008. He defeated his rival People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Mohammad Dilawar Mir.
Fayaz who is from Dar’s own constituency is an SPO with the police and was attached to him as a driver for past over 3 years. He was said to be close to Dar who reportedly got him appointed as an SPO.
Authorities are tight lipped over the arrest of former Minister’s driver and his links with the LeT. Police is under political pressure and have been told not to disclose the arrest of Fayaz, recoveries made and his links with the former Minister.
The former Minister when contacted said that Fayaz was a private car driver with Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department in Sopore. “There is some confusion; he is driver of a private car hired by Javed Ahmad Tara, Executive Engineer R&B Sopore. He was detained by police and let off”, he added.
Fayaz as driver of the Minister was having easy access to the vital installations across Jammu and Kashmir including Jammu and Kashmir Civil Secretariat Srinagar and Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Complexes Srinagar and Jammu, and country’s highly guarded Srinagar International Airport and Jammu Airport.
Earlier in June, Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested six policemen for links with Hizbul Mujahideen militant outfit. These cops were allegedly involved in carrying out attacks in Srinagar city.
In August last year, police arrested a police man, Abdul Rashid Shigan, for militant links. He was also allegedly involved in killing of policemen in Srinagar.
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