Srinagar, Oct 5: A local court here on Monday issued bailable warrant against chief spokesman of opposition Peoples Democratic Party and one of its legislators in a defamation case filed by the Jammu and Kashmir government.
The case was filed against the duo for accusing Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of receiving kick-backs in the allotment of the Rattle Hydroelectric project in Kishtwar.
The Court of Principal District and Sessions Judge here, BL Bhat issued the warrants against Naeem Akthar and Nizam-ud-Din Bhat.
In his order, the Judge ruled, “cognizance is accordingly taken of offences under section 500 RPC against the accused. Let a bailable warrant in an amount of Rs 20,000 each be levied against the accused and sent for execution to IGP Kashmir”.
 In another case of similar nature filed on behalf of Minister of State for Tourism and Urban Development, Nasir Aslam Wani, the court has slapped a bailable warrant in an amount of Rs 20,000 against renowned cardiologist Dr Fayaz Shawl and sent the same for execution to IGP Kashmir.
 The cases have been fixed for next hearing on October 20.

BACKGROUND
 On August 25, 2010, PDP leader, Nizam-ud-Din Bhat accompanied by others at a press briefing, had accused the CM of having received Rs 500 crore as kickbacks in the Rattle power project besides constructing Rs 20 crore worth private residence at the cost of public exchequer.
 The party alleged that Omar had made one-time withdrawal of Rs 26 crore from the chief minister’s secret fund without accountability and even accused him of shifting architectural grandeur from the famed Toshkhana here to his residential house.
 Bhat had claimed that Dr Shawl’s hopes of setting up a hospital in his hometown in Srinagar had been shattered by the state government. He had accused government of scuttling his project at the last minute.
 Shawl had alleged that junior Housing and Urban Development Minister in the Omar Abdullah Government, Nasir Aslam Wani initially gave approval for the project but just before the work was to commence in the first week of June, he was told that construction was barred on that site.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 5 Oct 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 5 Oct 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 6 Oct 2010 00:00:00 IST