Militant Escape Case: Police Hunting For Ex-MLA

SRINAGAR - A National Conference leader and former legislator allegedly involved in facilitating a militant commander in crossing the international border to Pakistan, is absconding.

The police have conducted raids at several places to seek the cx-MLA. Gul Rafiqi, who represented the Hom-Shalibug constituency, but have failed to trace him.

The raids were conducted at Rafiqi’s residence as well as at the homes of some of his relatives, the KNS said.

Policemen in plain clothes scoured the MLA hostels in Jammu as well as Srinagar, but

failed to turn up any clues about the ex-legislators whereabouts. Raflqi's mobile phone, too is not functioning for the past there days.

According to sources Rafiqi may be trying to obtain anticipatory bail.

He has disappeared despite being informed that he should present himself before the police, which is now raiding his habitual haunts and using its network of informers to track him down.

A senior police officer told the KNS that a high level investigation was on in the matter of the escape of a divisional commander of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen from the valley.

Three persons, including the Ex-MLA’s then secretary, Farooq Ahmad Bhat, personal

Security Officer Kewal Singh and driver Shyam are already in custody.

Rafiqi allegedly, helped the Hizb divisional commander, Muhammad Amin Baba, escape from the Valley by taking him, to Amritsar in his own official vehicle accompanied by two personal security officers.

Baba, who had reportedly managed to get a passport on fictitious Srinagar address, was allegedly escorted to Wagah border on May 2 this year where from he crossed over to Pakistan

Sources said the case came to light when the police were investigating a mine-blast in Anantnag and arrested a suspect Javaid Ahmad. Hizb commander Baba was also a suspect and when the police questioned Javaid about him they learnt that Baba had recently crossed over to Pakistan via Amrtisar. When asked about the allegations against Rafiqi, National Conference President Omar Abdullah was quoted by news agencies as having said “if there is anything against him (Rafiqi), the law will take its course. We want an impartial probe in the matter.” He however said that the Mufti Sayeed government had done nothing when militants were arrested from a minister’s house. "He still remains minister. Where is the justice,” he questioned.