Witness in Haji Yusuf death records confessional statement

Bhat had levelled an allegation against the deceased that he had taken Rs 85 lakh from him for getting the former a ministerial berth.

Mohammed Yousuf Bhat,one of the two witnesses of the September 29 incident in which a National Conference worker Syed Yusuf died in police custody,has recorded his confessional statement before a magistrate here.

The recording of the confessional statement,which spanned over two days,was completed today before a magistrate in Ganderbal on the outskirts of the city,official sources said.

Bhat,a resident of Ganderbal,30 KMs from here,was among the three present at the residence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah where Haji Yusuf was handed over to Crime Branch after he admitted to have duped Bhat and another person Salam Reshi of money running into more than Rs one crore against a promise of a minsiterial berth or membership in the Legislative Council.

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Bhat had levelled an allegation against the deceased that he had taken Rs 85 lakh from him for getting the former a ministerial berth.

A case under section 420 (cheating) and section 405 (criminal breach of trust) of IPC has been registered against Bhat.

Haji Yusuf,along with Bhat and Reshi,a resident of Kokernag in South Kashmir,was placed under arrest on the night of September 29.

Haji Yusuf later died due to a massive heart failure on September 30,after which the Chief Minister announced a judicial probe by a sitting High Court judge.

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However,the Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court told the state government that it could not spare a sitting judge. The state government later wrote to Union Law Ministry asking for a panel of three retired Supreme Court judges to select one to probe the incident.

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