Srinagar, Jul 22 (IANS): After senior People's Democratic Party leader and former Public Works Minister Naeem Akhtar was questioned in a multi-crore works allotment scam, sources here said sleuths of the state crime branch could now question PDP chief and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.

Crime Branch officials investigating the allotment scam had questioned Akhtar at his high security Gupkar Road residence two days back.

The investigation pertained to allotment of construction works worth crores of rupees to favourites of the PDP leadership when Akhtar, as chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation (JKPCC), allegedly influenced officials of the corporation to allot works without following any tendering process, top sources said.

"The questioning of the former minister also concerned the appointment of a managing director of the corporation by the then minister," they said.

When asked whether the ambit of the questioning process in this case was being extended to include former Chief Minister Mufti, sources told IANS, "Yes, Ms Mufti could be the next to be questioned by investigators in this case".

Akhtar has said he had full faith in the fairness of the judiciary and as such he has nothing to fear.