Serious charges

NIA and ED have been in news in Jammu and Kashmir for the investigation of different cases pending against many politicians including two former chief ministers.

Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti in the recent past have been grilled by these agencies for some pending cases. Mehbooba was only grilled by ED while Farooq Abdullah was questioned in JKCA alleged scam by NIA.

It is strange that a former chief minister who was till recently heading a coalition government with the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir, is now facing serious charges by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and was questioned for four hours by the ED officials in the Srinagar office.

Coming out after being grilled for hours in the ED office, Mehbooba Mufti told reporters that the BJP government has criminalized dissent and was using national investigating agencies to silence all the voices against their policies in Jammu and Kashmir.

Whatever the merit of her allegations, but there is a growing perception among the opposition parties that they are being hounded by these agencies.

While the NIA, has recently said that they have got the clue that Mehbooba Mufti was in touch with arrested Hizb militant Naveed Babu and had even talked to him once on telephone. These allegations are serious and they cannot be brushed aside but NIA and ED will have to prove their charges in the court of law.