Srinagar:
The Jammu and Kashmir government has appointed a commission to enquire into the alleged custodial death of National Conference worker Syed Mohammad Yousuf.
Former Supreme Court judge, Justice (Retd) H S Bedi, will to probe into his death. The commission so appointed shall enquire into the causes and circumstances leading to Yousuf's death and fix the responsibility for the lapses, if any, committed by any person in discharge of his duties under law.
The Supreme Court had last month issued notice to Centre and the state government on the issue. The court issued the notice on plea seeking CBI probe into Yusuf's death and has asked a reply to be filed within two weeks.
The petition filed by Udampur MLA and state President of Panthers party says that the death of Yousuf is due to conspiracy allegedly hatched by Omar Abdullah with state police to destroy the evidence which could have put the Chief Minister and his father Farooq Abdullah in a dangerous trap.
Mr Abdullah had handed over the Yousuf case to the Crime Branch after the latter had allegedly admitted to taking money from the other two party workers.
The death of Yousuf had sparked a major political row as another National Conference worker Abdul Salam Reshi had alleged the deceased had taken Rs. 34 lakh from him and Rs. 84 lakh from another party worker Mohammad Yousuf Bhat for getting them berths in the state Legislative Council.