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Jammu : In a significant development in the high-profile murder case of Advocate Babar Qadri, the Special Designated Court under the NIA Act has formally framed charges under Sections 16, 18, and 38 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 against Advocate Mian Abdul Qayoom, former President of the Kashmir High Court Bar Association. The chargesheet in the matter had earlier been filed by the State Investigation Agency (SIA).
Advocate Babar Qadri, a promising young lawyer known for his vocal criticism of the misuse of the Kashmir Bar Association platform, was tragically murdered on September 24, 2020, at his residence in Zahidpora, Hawal, Srinagar. He was shot by assailants disguised as clients, immediately after he had returned from court. Qadri was not only a practicing lawyer but also a frequent television panelist and a founder of a dissident group known as the Kashmir Lawyers Club. He was actively critical of Mian Qayoom—particularly accusing him of using the Kashmir Bar Association to further a secessionist agenda.
The case was transferred to the SIA in July 2023, due to concerns of interference and intimidation in Srinagar. Mian Qayoom was arrested on June 25, 2024, as the principal conspirator behind Qadri’s killing, allegedly via terrorists of The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Qayoom’s habeas corpus petition and his challenges to the arrest and remand process in the instant case were dismissed by the Jammu & Kashmir High Court in February 2025, reaffirming the legal propriety of the arrest and investigation.
The court formally framed charges against Mian Abdul Qayoom under Sections 16, 18, and 38 of UAPA. The accused was represented by Senior Advocates R.A. Jan and Z.A. Qureshi, along with Advocate Zulkernain Sheikh. The prosecution was led by a battery of Special Public Prosecutors and assisted by Pairvi Officer appearing for the SIA. (KDC)
