Former J&K Bar Association President Sent to Judicial Custody

Former president of the Jammu & Kashmir High Court Bar Association's Srinagar wing, Mian Abdul Qayoom, has been sent to 14-day judicial custody over his alleged involvement in the 2020 murder conspiracy of advocate Babar Qadri. Qayoom was arrested by the State Investigation Agency and has faced multiple remands.

Former president of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association's Srinagar wing, Mian Abdul Qayoom, was remanded to 14-day judicial custody by a NIA court on Saturday. He is alleged to be involved in the murder conspiracy of fellow advocate Babar Qadri, who was fatally shot by terrorists in 2020.

Qayoom was detained by the State Investigation Agency (SIA) in Srinagar on June 25 and appeared before the special court of Judge Jatinder Singh Jamwal upon his second remand's expiry. Officials said the court has now extended his judicial custody till July 20.

Advocate Babar Qadri, a frequent participant in television debates, was killed at his residence in Srinagar's Hawal area in September 2020. Qadri had previously survived an assassination attempt in 2018. According to police, a Lashkar-e-Taiba commander, Saqib Manzoor, was involved in Qadri's killing, but Manzoor was killed in a 2022 gunfight with police.

(With inputs from agencies.)