Custody death: ‘I’m a main witness… what I say will hit the powerful’

Indoors for two days,Bhat — who is an eyewitness to what transpired at the CM’s house last week before Syed Yousuf died after being handed over to the Crime Branch —only stepped out once this morning to tell mediapersons that he would not talk to them. An official of the J&K Police’s Intelligence wing keeps an eye on the few visitors allowed in.

In contrast,Abdul Salam Reshi,the other eyewitness and NC leader who reportedly paid Rs 35 lakh to Syed Yousuf for a Legislative Council seat,warns that his revelations will “hurt powerful people”. Speaking to The Indian Express on the phone from his home in Kokernag,Anantnag,he says he has written the Union Home Ministry seeking protection as he fears for his life.

“I am one of the main witnesses. My statements are going to hit powerful people. That is why I am very scared. I want the Home Minister to intervene,” he says. “They did not spare even Haji [Syed Yousuf who was well connected with the Chief Minister and his father Farooq Abdullah.”

Bhat — who was Omar’s official representative in his constituency of Ganderbal and attended district meetings on his behalf till the party removed him following the death incustody — is reported to have paid Rs 84 lakh to Syed Yousuf for a ministerial berth.

“Where did he get the money from?” ask villagers,in hushed tones,pointing towards his modest single-storey house. A youth sitting outside claims that Bhat borrowed Rs 50 lakh from a relative.

According to Reshi,when Syed Yousuf was summoned to the CM’s house last week,Bhat asked him to return the Rs 84 lakh. “Haji Yousuf told him that he could pay the money after Farooq Abdullah’s return,” says Reshi.

“Omar Abdullah then told him that he was going to hand him over to the Crime Branch. Later,he was taken to a small room. I don’t know what happened there. After half-an-hour,when I was taken to Crime Branch,I saw Haji Yousuf lying down in the vehicle. He was in bad shape,vomiting and unable to speak,” says Reshi.

“In February,I gave Rs 35 lakh to Haji Yousuf after he had a direct phone conversation with Farooq Abdullah. But I was not made MLC. I think I was dropped because I could not pay Rs 50 lakh,’’ he says. “Even some senior ministers in the cabinet knew that I had paid money. In July,I also informed Chief Minister about it. He assured me that the money would be returned. Sometime later,Rs 22 lakh was returned to me in three installments.”

About a fortnight ago,he says,NC chief Farooq Abdullah called him on the Syed Yousuf’s cellphone and asked him whether his money had been returned.