J&K High Court rejects ED's bid to add charges against Farooq Abdullah

Justice Sanjay Parihar rejected the ED's application seeking to add charges under Sections 411 and 424 of the Ranbir Penal Code, finding insufficient evidentiary basis for the proposed amendments.

In his order, the judge stated that the material currently on record did not support the petitioner's prayer for the insertion of the additional charges. The Enforcement Directorate had sought to expand the charges against Abdullah, who served as Chief Minister of the erstwhile state, but the court found the grounds presented to be inadequate.

The decision marks a setback for the ED's investigation into the JKCA scam, which has been under scrutiny for several years. The case has drawn significant public attention given Abdullah's prominent position in Jammu and Kashmir's political landscape.

The High Court's rejection suggests that prosecutors will need to strengthen their evidence if they wish to pursue additional charges in the matter. The ruling underscores the judiciary's careful examination of the adequacy of evidence before permitting expansion of criminal proceedings against accused individuals.