SRINAGAR: Police on Wednesday carried out raids on the residences of three lawyers including former Kashmir High Court Bar Association president Mian Abdul Qayoom in Srinagar in connection with the murder a young lawyer Babar Qadri in September 2020.
A police spokesman said that policemen conducted simultaneous searches at the residences of three lawyers Mian Abdul Qayoom, Muzaffar Ahmad and Manzoor Ahmed Dar at four different locations in Srinagar.
The policemen, who were assisted by the CRPF men, conducted thorough searches at the residences of three lawyers. Qayoom, the former Kashmir Bar Association president, was among the lawyers arrested ahead of Article 370 revocation on August 5, 2019 and was lodged in jail outside J&K.
"Srinagar police conducting searches at residence of Adv Mian Qayoom, Adv Manzoor Dar and Adv Muzzaffar Mohd in connection with further #investigation of #murder of Adv Babar Qadri, FIR No 62/2020 of PS Lal Bazar," Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Kashmir Zone, Vijay Kumar said in a tweet.
A police spokesman said all legal formalities were followed during the searches at four locations -- two in Barzulla, one each in Brein-Nishat and Maisuma -- of three advocates in connection with advocate Babar Qadri killing case.
"Digital devices, bank statements, property sale agreement papers, suspicious books and other relevant material were seized during the searches," the spokesman said.
A posse of policemen arrived at Qayoom's Barzulla residence early in the morning to carry out the searches.
Qayoom is the father-in-law of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court judge Justice Javed Iqbal Wani.
Advocate Qadri was shot dead by terrorists inside his residence in the city's Hawal area in September 2020.
Qadri, who was a vocal critic of the bar association leadership, particularly of Qayoom, had claimed threat to his life three days before he was shot dead.
According to police, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Saqib Manzoor, who was killed in an encounter last year, was responsible for Qadri's killing.
Police have filed charge sheet against five persons who are facing trial in the case.
"The searches were conducted during further investigation in the case wherein certain new evidences came up that have the potential to unravel the conspiracy part in this killing," the spokesman added.
(With PTI Inputs)