Mysterious death of NC worker, The man who knew too much

NC worker’s death strikingly similar to Nagarwala mystery

SRINAGAR; Oct 1: Mysterious circumstances of the death of National Conference worker, Haji Syed Mohammad Yousuf, here on Friday bear a striking resemblance to the 1971 ‘Nagarwala’ case (in Delhi); both involving huge tainted-money transaction, shadowy power-play and mafia-type ‘instant justice’.Yousuf was alleged to have duped two other NC workers and pocketed over one crore rupees in the name of chief minister Omar Abdullah and Dr Farooq Abdullah. Rustom Sohrab Nagarwala, an officer in the Research And Analysis (RAW) had duped a State Bank of India cashier and ‘swindled’ Rs 60 lakhs, in May, 1970, from a yet- to-be-identified secret account by ‘mimicking’ the voice of the then prime minister Indira Gandhi.Yousuf died ‘in custody’. Nagarwala also died in custody. Yousuf had allegedly taken the money to pass on to Omar and Farooq for ‘accommodating’ two other NC workers in legislature and ministry. Nagarwala had pocketed the cash allegedly on behalf of a ‘Mukti Bahini man from Bangladesh’ (in the run-up to the disintegration of erstwhile united Pakistan).Omar Abdullah yesterday hastily fired his long-trusted personal security official, with unconvincing justification. He took another unprecedented step, seemingly in panic, to order instant judicial probe into Yousuf’s death, contrary to dragging of feet over vociferous public demand for probing over 100 killings in police firing last year.In the Nagarwala case, the investigating officer, DK Kashyap, paid with his life. He was killed in a mysterious car crash in Delhi half way through the probe. Former Supreme Court judge, Jagan Mohan Reddy was appointed to probe the Nagarwala episode but failed to reach any conclusion. The four decade old mystery has not been solved tilltoday.Going by the published statements of Haji Yousuf’s son and other relatives, it is clear that he enjoyed rare proximity to Omar as well as Farooq and that he had established his credentials, notably amongst his own well-informed NC circles, as a trustworthy ‘fixer’ or a conduit. He had shown his ability to actually ‘buy’ favours for the needy. Nobody in his senses would just push such huge money into the hands of someone with lesser ‘credentials’.The claim made by his relatives that Yousuf used to have frequent long (two-way) telephonic conversation with Omar and Farooq confirms that he had direct access right to the top. Omar’s claim that Yousuf had mimicked Farooq’s voice offers comparatively weak defence against the allegation that Yousuf was perceived as a dependable conduit for such high-level cash-for-jobs deals.Addition of Nasir Aslam Wani’s name to the ‘star cast’ thickens the mystery. In the case of Nagarwala, Indira Gandhi’s trusted aide PN Kaksar had stepped in to contain the scandal. Haksar had Nagarwala nabbed and put behind bars before he could spill the beans. Nagarwala’s custodial death is a mystery even to this day.Omar’s trusted man, Nasir appears to have been on equally familiar terms with Yousuf as the CM and his dad. It was at his call that Yousuf motored down to Srinagar from Pampore in the vehicle provided by Nasir. They were ostensibly supposed to discuss ‘some pending matters’, according to Yousuf’s relatives.Omar has said that Nasir brought the man to his (CM’s) residence where he was handed over to the police officials, after he allegedly confessed to receiving bribe money from the two accusers.Yousuf’s relatives contest this version and allege that he was physically assaulted at Nasir’s residence and later hit in the head at the CM residence. These are, however, unverified claims. But the hush hush manner in which the case was handled so far fuels the suspicion that Yousuf had been got out of the way because ‘he knew too much’. Who bumped him off, where and how are matters of detail yet to be verified.

Like the lingering Nagarwala mystery, Yousuf’s ‘death in custody’ is highly intriguing. ‘Saazish ko nanga karo’ is as old a slogan here as the mysterious theft and recovery of the Holy Relic from Hazratbal shrine way back in 1963. But Yousuf’s case has more intriguing ingredients. It is likely to echo around longer than any other past case.

(In photo:: Daughter in law of Syed Mohammad Yousuf wails during his funeral)