Srinagar- Jammu and Kashmir Police has registered a case against BJP’s Pulwama district president Showkat Gayoor for allegedly demanding Rs 5 lakh from a contractor through intimidation, officials said on Tuesday.
The FIR was registered on Monday night at Newa Police Post in Pulwama following a complaint by Mohammad Yaseen Ganie, who alleged that Gayoor had been repeatedly interfering with and obstructing work being carried out for the Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee at Barthana.
In his complaint, Ganie alleged that Gayoor had been contacting him and his workers by telephone, threatening them and demanding money as a condition for allowing the work to continue.
The complainant alleged that the BJP leader threatened to invoke the Public Safety Act against him if the demand was not met.
Ganie alleged that Gayoor demanded Rs 5 lakh as extortion money and continued making calls and issuing threats after he initially refused to comply.
The complaint also alleged that Ganie paid Rs 54,000 to Gayoor in two instalments in November last year, claiming the payments were made under pressure and intimidation.
The allegations in the complaint include extortion, criminal intimidation, wrongful restraint, obstruction, harassment and illegal demands in connection with the ongoing work.
BJP suspends Gayoor
Following the registration of the case, the BJP suspended Gayoor from all organisational posts and responsibilities with immediate effect and initiated disciplinary proceedings against him.
State general secretary Mohammad Anwar Khan issued the suspension order after consulting senior party leaders.
“Pending finalisation of the disciplinary proceedings, Showkat Gayoor Andrabi is hereby suspended from all organisational posts and responsibilities of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), including the post of district president Pulwama with immediate effect,” the order said.
Further details about the sections invoked in the FIR and the police investigation were not immediately available.
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