Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman of the Hurriyat Conference has denied involvement in an evacuee land infringement case here being probed by the Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
Calling it a part of propaganda, he said in a statement here today that such allegations had the makings of old social media, electronic media smear campaign tactics waged against the Mirwaiz in 2018, which were proven false later.
“These claims are untrue, and an attempt to malign and harass me,” he said.
However, the state anti-corruption Bureau has named the moderate Hurriyat leader and six others in the land grab case and assigned a DSP rank official to investigate it.
The FIR was filed in connection with the land belonging to Imam-u-Din, located in Saderbal Hazratbal under survey number 640, being distributed to many persons, without following due processes.
The FIR alleged that six persons, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, encroached on land measuring seven kanal, 19 Marla, and 97 square feet.
Some high-ranking officials, bureaucrats, and IAS officers are believed to be involved in the land grab.
"It is part of the same vehement print, electronic and social media propaganda carried out against the Mirwaiz in 2018 when multiple properties including the properties of Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid, Anjuman Nusratul Islam, Darul ul Khair Mirwaiz Manzil were all attributed to him and later all proved to be false and baseless,” the statement of the Mirwaiz read.
"Such things will not cow Mirwaiz down," the statement added.
From 1990 till now, Mirwaiz said he was unaware of the situation since no information or notice was ever conveyed or discussed with him by the relevant parties.
"If there was an issue, the authorities should have informed Mirwaiz instead of 'instantly booking' him in the case. The motive to malign and defame is clear," the statement read.
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