Srinagar, Oct 7: One of the main eyewitnesses of the alleged custodial death of National Conference worker Syed Muhammad Yousuf Friday broke his silence saying he had paid money to the deceased.
“It is a fact that I paid money to Syed Yousuf for MLC seat but I can’t say that it was for Omar Abdullah or Dr Farooq,” Muhammad Yousuf Bhat, the former NC district president for Ganderbal, who was also present at CM’s residence on September 30, told a local news gathering agency KNS.
 Asked to comment on another NC worker Salam Rishi’s allegations that he had paid Rs 34 lakh to Syed Yousuf which he in turn gave to Dr Farooq, Bhat said, “What Salam Rishi said I can’t comment on that. But I didn’t pay money to Dr Farooq or Omar, I paid it to Syed Yousuf.”
 Bhat declined to comment when asked to reveal what happened at the CM’s residence on September 30 when Rishi, Syed Yousuf and he were brought there. “Whatever I have to say, I will say it before the judicial commission. People know what the truth is,” he said without elaborating.
 Bhat also talked about internal differences within the NC in Ganderbal constituency. “There are 50 people in Ganderbal who claim they are NC leaders. Sheikh Ghulam Muhammad Saloora, Abdul Rehman Mir, Muhammad Sultan Shaheen and others are all pulling the party in opposite directions here,” he alleged.
 “I have served the NC for last 35-years and have braved militant threats all along. NC had been wiped out in Ganderbal till 2008 and it was because of my efforts that Omar Abdullah won in 2008. I had made promises with the people of Ganderbal but NC government didn’t fulfil promises with the people,” he added.
 Bhat who has been kept under tight surveillance by the police isn’t being allowed to talk to media.
 Bhat was appointed the constituency representative by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on January 12, 2010.
 The order to appoint Bhat as constituency representative was issued by Political Advisor to Chief Minister Devender Singh Rana on behalf of the CM.
 The order number PS/Pol/Adv/HCM/J/2010/163 addressed to then Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal Iftikhar-ul-Hussain reads: “I have been directed to inform you that Jenab Omar Abdullah Sahib Hon’ble MLA Ganderbal has appointed Mr Muhammad Yousuf Bhat as his Constituency Representative.”
 The order was cancelled by the government last week after “political payoff” controversy surfaced in which Bhat is at centre-stage.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 7 Oct 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 7 Oct 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 8 Oct 2011 00:00:00 IST