Srinagar, March 12 – Hours after issuing a warrant without bail against former J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah in the J&K Cricket Association (JKCA) scam case, the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Srinagar recalled the warrant on Thursday.
The CJM Srinagar stated in the recall order that the decision was taken considering Abdullah's condition following a violent attack the previous day.
Earlier in the day, the CJM had issued a warrant without bail as Abdullah failed to appear in court, either in person or online.
However, Abdullah’s lawyer, Ishtiyaq Khan, moved a petition seeking the recall of the warrant, stating that medical consultants had advised him against any travel after the life-threatening attack on him in Jammu last night.
“Although the applicant survived the attack, the physical and psychological after-effects have severely aggravated his pre-existing medical conditions, including fluctuating blood pressure and cardiac distress,” the lawyer said in the petition.
Khan added that as a result of the attack, Abdullah has been placed under strict clinical observation and “Restricted Security Protocol.”
His medical consultants have strictly prohibited any travel, particularly air or road travel between Jammu and Srinagar, as it would pose a grave risk to his life and health.
“In light of these insurmountable circumstances, the applicant was unable to appear before this Hon’ble Court today,” he said.
The court had earlier rejected Abdullah’s application for exemption from personal appearance. It had also rejected an exemption application of another accused, Manzoor Gazanfar Ali, and ordered a warrant without bail against him.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had earlier filed a chargesheet against several accused, including Farooq Abdullah, under Sections 120-B, 406 and 409 of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) in connection with the alleged scam, official sources said.
The CBI investigation focused on embezzlement within the JKCA, with allegations that funds intended for cricket development were misappropriated during Abdullah's tenure as president.
Besides Abdullah, other accused included former JKCA officials Ahsan Ahmad Mirza, Mohd Saleem Khan, and Bashir Ahmad Misgar.
The case has been ongoing, with the CBI filing chargesheets alleging a multi-crore misappropriation of funds. The recent court actions mark a significant step towards trial, following investigations into financial mismanagement.
The J&K cricket team recently won the final of the Ranji Trophy.
Jammu and Kashmir secured their maiden Ranji Trophy title in the 2025–26 season by defeating Karnataka based on a first-innings lead in a drawn final.
J&K posted 584 runs in their first innings and restricted Karnataka to 293, securing a 291-run lead.