JKCA Scam: Srinagar court orders framing of charges against Farooq Abdullah, others

March 6, 2026

A local court in Srinagar has ordered the framing of charges against National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and other accused in the alleged Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) scam.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Tabassum, in a five-page order, stated that the case be listed for framing of charges on March 12, 2026. Following this, the statements of key witnesses (accused numbers 3 and 6) will be recorded as evidence. The court stated that appropriate orders will be passed if they retract their statements.

The court rejected the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) plea seeking to be made a party to the case. The court stated that since the case was investigated and prosecuted by the CBI, and no offences were specified in the charge sheet, the ED had no legal standing.

The court also stated that the ED’s plea was vague and contradictory. The petition sought the addition of the now-repealed sections 411 and 414 of the Indian Penal Code, which are not applicable from July 1, 2024. The court clarified that the ED’s jurisdiction is primarily limited to investigating money laundering, and it has the power to take action only on the basis of a legally proven offense.

Regarding the framing of charges, the court stated that the essential ingredients of the offenses under sections 120-B, 406, and 409 of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) were preliminarily found against the accused. Therefore, the court ordered that the accused be charged with these offenses. However, additional charges can be added at any time during the trial of the case based on evidence and witness statements.