Aga Ruhullah rejects ACB chargesheet, calls it move to silence his political voice

Srinagar, Apr 13: Member of Parliament (MP), Srinagar and senior National Conference (NC) leader Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Sunday rejected the charges framed against him by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Jammu and Kashmir in an alleged land compensation case, calling the move politically driven and intended to silence his voice.
Addressing a press conference in Budgam, Ruhullah said the case related to land compensation in Durbal Bemina was nearly two decades old and claimed he had no direct role in the matter. He added that the land was originally owned by his grandfather, and he, along with his siblings, received a nominal share as legal heirs.
“The claim that I’m involved in some massive scam is completely baseless. This land belonged to my grandfather, and compensation was awarded based on possession, not just revenue records. I received around Rs 80,000 through my uncle’s account — not directly from the government,” he said.
He further said that all decisions and interactions regarding the land were handled by his eldest uncle, who acted as the custodian of the family land. “I was not involved in any discussions or agreements. I simply received my share as an heir,” he added.
The MP expressed surprise over the chargesheet, saying he was neither summoned by the authorities nor served any formal notice. “It is shocking. I came to know about the chargesheet through the media. There has been no prior communication from any agency. If there was any suspicion, I should have been called and heard,” he said.
Mehdi alleged that the case is politically motivated and aimed at targeting him for his outspoken stance on sensitive political issues. “This is not about a land deal. It’s an attempt to punish me for my political beliefs and criticism. Today it’s the ACB, tomorrow they might bring in NIA,” he added.
Reaffirming his stand, the senior NC leader said, “I won’t remain silent until Article 370 is restored, atrocities on minorities stop, and the constitutional rights of Jammu and Kashmir are reinstated.”
He also criticised the BJP-led central government’s interference in religious institutions and confirmed that the National Conference has filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Waqf Amendment Act.
Ruhullah expressed dissatisfaction over not being able to speak on the Bill in Parliament, as the party chose another leader for the floor debate.
He questioned the silence of the J&K Assembly on the Waqf issue, saying a resolution — even a symbolic one — should have been passed to reflect the sentiments of the people. “Resolutions are not laws, they reflect opinion. We could have made our stance clear even if the issue is in court,” he said.
On the issue of statehood, Mehdi said the people of Jammu and Kashmir should not wait passively. “Statehood will not be returned easily. We should have politically mobilised — even if it meant our MLAs protesting outside the Prime Minister’s residence,” he said.
The MP thanked the people of Budgam for their support in past elections and said that with the NC Vice President Omar Abdullah vacating the seat, people now hope to have a local representative again. “I hear their aspirations and I respect them,” he said.