Bribery case: Youth confesses to mimicking Farooq's voice

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In a new twist to Kashmir's bribes-for-berth case, a local youth on Sunday confessed he used to mimic union Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah to facilitate the bribes sought by National Conference (NC) worker Sayeed Muhammad Yousuf.

Mimic artist Aizaz Malik, belonging to south Kashmir's Anantnag district, on Sunday recorded his statement under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code, before a magistrate in Awantipora town (Anantnag district) accepting that he used to mimic Abdullah at Yousuf's behest.

Yousuf's death in police custody last month has stirred a storm in Kashmir.

"I used to get Rs.2,000 each time Sayeed Yousuf made me mimic Dr. Abdullah's voice on the phone," Malik, 24, said in his statement.

A senior police officer here said: "Police had got suspicious of Aizaz Malik's activities after his proximity to Sayeed Yousuf was discovered by studying the cell phone record of Sayeed Yousuf. The two had been in regular contact."

Another National Conference worker, Muhammad Yusuf Bhat, belonging to north Kashmir's Ganderbal district, had complained to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah that Yousuf had taken Rs.85 lakh from him for getting him a ministerial berth.

Bhat had also claimed that Yousuf had called Abdullah in his presence and told Bhat to listen to the party patron's voice. This had helped Bhat believe Yousuf had the political clout to get him a ministerial berth.

Yousuf had died in police custody on September 30, a day after Omar Abdullah ordered his arrest by the local crime branch.

His family had alleged his custodial killing, but the post mortem report and forensic tests later proved the NC worker had died of cardiac arrest.

A case of cheating (section 420) and criminal breach of trust (406) has been registered against Yousuf by the local crime branch.

Bhat, the complainant, has also recorded his statement under section 164 before a magistrate in Ganderbal district last week.