Jammu: The State Investigation Agency (SIA), Kashmir on Thursday filed a supplementary chargesheet against Senior Lawyer and former President of High Court Bar Association (HCBA) Kashmir, Mian Abdul Qayoom in the much-publicized Babar Qadri murder case before the Third Additional Sessions Judge, Jammu.
Babar Qadri, a promising Srinagar-based young lawyer in his late twenties, was gunned down by the terrorists at his residence, Zahidpura (Hawal) Srinagar, on September 24, 2020.
As per the official release issued by the Police Headquarters, the SIA SIT on Thursday presented a 340-page long supplementary chargesheet against Mian Qayoom for offences under relevant sections while the further investigation in the case U/S 173 (8) shall continue.
The initial chargesheet in the case had been filed before the Special NIA Court Srinagar, however, in December 2023 the High Court transferred the trial to Jammu taking a serious view of the interference in the judicial process by Mian Qayoom as well as the threat/ intimidation to the deceased’s family.
Mian Qayoom has since been lodged in District Jail Amphalla, Jammu.
The SIT took over the investigation and based on sufficient oral, documentary, and technical evidence arrested Mian Qayoom on June 25, 2024, as the principal conspirator behind the deceased’s killing.
It was revealed during the in-depth investigation conducted by SIA SIT that Mian Qayoom, who had an inimical relation with the deceased, got Babar Qadri eliminated through terrorists of TRF and their handlers in Pakistan by hatching a criminal conspiracy.
The TRF is a proxy outfit for the dreaded LeT formed in the aftermath of the 5th of August 2019.
Babar Qadri was a very vocal young lawyer who not only questioned Mian Qayoom’s one upmanship at HCBA Kashmir but severely criticized him on multiple occasions for using HCBA Kashmir as a platform for furthering his secessionist agenda.
The deceased had also founded a dissident body within the HCBA called Kashmir Lawyers Club which was attracting a sizable number of Young lawyers.
Moreover, the deceased was also contemplating fighting the Bar elections against Mian Qayoom which were due to be held around the same time. All this antagonized Mian Qayoom who on several occasions also threatened the deceased, read the chargesheet.
Mian Qayoom, as per the chargesheet, has a history of being a terrorist sympathizer and diehard secessionist. Several cases already stand registered against him for his anti-national activities.
