MOAZUM MUHAMMAD
Srinagar, Nov 29: Formally starting its probe into the death of National Conference worker Sayed Muhammad Yousuf, the one-man Commission of Inquiry (CoI) comprising Justice (Retired) H S Bedi had a detailed meeting with state Law Secretary here Tuesday.
Officials said that Justice Bedi and Law Secretary G H Tantray met at Government Guest House, Hari Niwas, in the morning and discussed several modalities including infrastructure and logistic support. During the meeting, they said Bedi decided to run his office from Hari Niwas owing its ‘ideal’ and ‘isolated’ location.
“Within a couple of days, all the men and machinery will be provided to the CoI. After several options including civil secretariat, it was agreed that office will be set up in Hari Niwas’ calm ambience,” sources privy to the meeting told Greater Kashmir.
Adequate staff, they said, will be hired from both Judiciary and civil administration for running the office of the Commission. “The logistic support will be kept at the disposal of the Commission for smooth and fair probe. Some staff will be taken from High Court and others from civil departments so that CoI doesn’t face any hurdle in conducting the inquiry,” they added.
“Newspapers, government statements have been forwarded to Justice Bedi by Law department for the inquiry,” officials said.
A government spokesman said that Justice Bedi today assumed the charge of the Commission of Inquiry.
A former Supreme Court Judge, Justice Bedi has been given six weeks to complete the probe and submit report to the state government.
The Commission was appointed by the state government on November 18 to inquire into the mysterious death of Sayed Muhammad Yousuf, who died on September 30 after being handed over to Crime Branch by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at his residence a day earlier.
The one-man Commission is likely to quiz people and record their statements including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, MoS Home Nasir Sogami, Crime Branch officials and some key witnesses in the case.
Sayed Muhammad Yousuf of Loktipora Bijebehara, Abdul Salam Reshi of Akingam Kokernag and Muhammad Yousuf of Ganderbal were called by Omar Abdullah to his residence on September 29 over money transaction dispute and later handed over to Crime Branch. The deceased had allegedly promised the other two ministerial and MLC berths for a price.
Meanwhile, the family of deceased Sayed Yousuf termed the inquiry just a ‘formality’.
“The inquiry is already done. It is just a formality. CoI can’t do anything on its own as it has to rely on government information. Though we will cooperate with CoI but we don’t trust it,” the deceased’s son Sayed Talib told this newspaper.
The government, he said, had managed to disconnect his SIM as could be gauged from the fact that the service provider, without assigning any reason, replied that it can’t be restored for one month.
“The eye-witnesses have been controlled and CoI has no powers. Let’s see what comes out,” he said.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:00:00 IST