Srinagar, Dec 19 (IANS): Former J&K Chief Minister and Vice President of the National Conference (NC), Omar Abdullah, was the first from the family to react to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) order on Saturday that attached the properties of his father and ec-CM Farooq Abdullah.
While Farooq Abdullah appears to have chosen not to react to the ED order attaching all his properties, his son Omar Abdullah took to Twitter immediately after news reports spread about the ED order.
"Dr Abdullah is in touch with his lawyers & will fight all these baseless charges in the one place that matters - a court of law, where everyone is presumed to be innocent & is entitled to a fair trial unlike in the court of the media or the court of BJP managed social media, Omar tweeted immediately after hearing about the ED order.
In a series of tweets, Omar Abdullah said, "The properties attached are largely ancestral dating from the 1970s with the most recent one built before 2003. There can be no justification for the seizures because they fail the very basic test of having been acquired as the proceeds of the 'crime' being investigated.
"My father has seen the media reports regarding attachment of his properties in the ongoing investigation in to the JKCA matter. Not surprisingly the media was tipped off regarding the seizure before he had received any official notice or documentation."
The ED has questioned Farooq Abdullah at least four times regarding his role in the JKCA scam being investigated by the agency.
It is alleged that JKCA funds were clandestinely siphoned off when Farooq Abdullah headed the JKCA. The ED has alleged that Farooq Abdullah is the ultimate beneficiary of the siphoned JKCA funds to the tune of Rs 11.86 crore.
The properties attached by ED include Farooq Abdullah's three houses, one in Jammu, second in Srinagar and third in Tangmarg area in Baramulla district.
Prime commercial property in Korhibagh area of Srinagar city has also been attached in addition to land in Ganderbal district and Zoonimar area of Srinagar district.