Srinagar: Senior Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader and former minister Naeem Akhtar Andrabi Monday regretted in an open court his accusations in 2010 about the then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah having received kickbacks of Rs 500 crores.
Andrabi expressed his “regret” in the court of Principal District and Sessions judge Srinagar during the proceedings of a defamation case against him filed by National Conference (NC), the party that ruled the then State of Jammu and Kashmir.
He had alleged that the then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had received Rs 500 crore in kickback for allotting Rattle Power project to a private construction company.
Consequently, the Public Prosecutor had filed a defamation suit against Naeem Akhtar and Nizamudin Bhat, a former PDP legislator, for making allegations against the Chief Minister of the erstwhile state.
As the proceedings began into the case today, Naeem Akhtar expressed “regret” about his “presence in the 2010 press conference and statement by Nizamudin”.
Omar Abdullah, who was also present in the court, said “there was no need to press the case any further”.
Abdullah and his party leader Nasir Aslam Wani today recorded their statements as witnesses in the case.
The defamation case was filed by the government through then the Public Prosecutor before Principal District and Sessions Judge Srinagar, seeking action against the PDP leaders under Sections 499 (defamation) and 500 (punishment for defamation) of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) for levelling “false and baseless” accusations, at a presser on 25 August, 2010.
The PDP leaders were accused of having made defamatory allegations regarding unreasonable expenditure incurred on the construction of official residence of the Chief Minister.
Pilferage of certain priceless antiques from the State Toshakhana were also allegedly made during the press conference.
