The Opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) received a big jolt when a senior leader and former Minister Muhammad Dilawar Mir was convicted by a Delhi court in a fraud case related to sale of urea through National Fertilisers limited.
Mir is General Secretary of the PDP and has been nominated to contest Assembly elections from Rafiabad constituency in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. He has represented the constituency several times but lost the 2008 election with a lean margin.“The (the news of Mir’s conviction) has come like a thunderbolt”, PDP’s chief spokesman and legislator Naeem Akhtar told The Pioneer. According to Election Commission of India norms, convicted Mir is disqualified for contesting polls.
“Fortunately, we have a few days left to search for the alternative”, Akhtar said.Reports said that Mir has been awarded three years imprisonment and a fine of Rs3.21 crore while Dilbagh Singh Kanwar, the then General Manager of National fertilisers ltd (NFl) has been sentenced to two-and-a half-year jail term. The sentences were pronounced by Special CBI Judge lK Gaur in Delhi.
Even as Mir has got bail and his sentence has been suspended till January 2, 2015, the verdict has come as a shocker for his party. His close relatives have been fielded by the party in two other segments.The ruling National Conference (NC) would play up the issue to berate the Opposition party. Rafiabad is going to polls in the second phase of elections on December 9. The notification has been issued for the second phase on Friday.
Reports said that Mir, as the proprietor of M/s Good Friends Agencies fraudulently got a contract worth Rs 30 lacs for the sale of urea in 1993-96.
The court has directed that the amount recovered from Mir must be paid to NFl as compensation for the losses it suffered due to the fraudulent deal. The convicts have been allowed to file appeal and released on bail against the surety bonds.
