Mumbai: A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Monday ordered the de-freezing of bank accounts and a locker held jointly by former Jammu and Kashmir Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu and his wife Roohi Nazki.
No Charges Against Drabu, Wife
The two were not named as accused in the CBI’s corruption case involving the purchase of a property for Jammu and Kashmir Bank at Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai.
Accounts Frozen Since Probe Began
The CBI had registered the case on November 11, 2021, against Ackruti Gold Builders and unknown persons, alleging that the Jammu and Kashmir bank bought the BKC property in 2010 at an inflated price.
Drabu, who served as the bank’s Chairman and CEO from 2005 to 2010, came under scrutiny, and his accounts and locker at the bank’s Mahim branch were frozen during the probe.
The defence stated that the couple was not the accused in the present case and, neither, any role, much less specific role, has been attributed to them. Further, there is no direct nexus of the applicants with the investigation.
CBI Raised No Objection
The CBI clarified that neither Drabu nor Nazki was named in the chargesheet and that no documents from their locker were relied upon in the case. With the investigation concluded and no objection from the CBI, the court allowed their plea and ordered the release of the frozen accounts and locker.
