Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 1: A court here extended the police remand of the former President of Kashmir Bar Association (KBA), MA Qayoom, who was arrested on June 25 for his alleged involvement in the 2020 murder conspiracy of a fellow advocate, Babar Qadri.
The Special Judge NIA, Jammu, Jatinder Singh Jamwal, extended the custody of Qayoom until July 6, 2024 so that the investigating agency could elicit more important details regarding the case from the accused.
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Qayoom, a resident of Barzulla, Srinagar, was presented before the NIA Court today by Farooq Qaiser, SSP (FIU) CID Headquarters, J&K/CIO, who requested a 10-day extension of Qayoom’s police custody, citing the need for further investigation.
A practicing lawyer with over 40 years of experience, Qayoom chose to represent himself, refusing legal aid and opposing the remand extension.
He argued that he had cooperated fully with the investigation since being summoned in January 2024 and was unjustly arrested on June 25, 2024.
Qayoom contended that the case, registered in 2020, had progressed substantially without implicating him until further investigation was ordered by the trial court.
He emphasized his compliance with all investigative queries and cited his old age (76 years) and numerous health ailments as reasons against further detention.
Qayoom also claimed that he was not immediately informed of the grounds for his arrest, challenging the legality of his custody and disputing the authority of the Director General of Police, J&K, to transfer the case investigation to a different agency.
The prosecution refuted Qayoom’s claims, asserting that he was not cooperating with the investigation, necessitating further police custody.
They argued that the grounds for arrest were communicated to Qayoom at the time of his arrest and documented via videography.
The prosecution assured the court that Qayoom was receiving adequate medical care.
Regarding the authority of the DGP, J&K, to transfer the investigation to a different agency, the prosecution noted that this issue had been previously raised and dismissed by the High Court of J&K during a hearing for transferring the case from Srinagar to Jammu.
After reviewing the submissions and case diary, Judge Jamwal concluded that the investigation involving Qayoom was still at an initial stage.
He deemed further police custody necessary to obtain all possible information for the investigation.
The Judge found the prosecution’s explanations regarding the arrest grounds and the DGP’s authority to transfer the investigation to be prima facie justifiable.
Consequently, Qayoom was remanded to police custody until July 6, 2024, with instructions for his production before the competent court on that date.
The court directed that Qayoom undergo regular medical examinations and receive uninterrupted medical care, including his insulin dosage.
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