HAJI YUSUF'S LAWYER VISITS OMAR'S RESIDENCE

Srinagar March 14 (Only Kashmir) : The lawyer of deceased National Conference worker Haji Yusuf's kin Wednesday visited the official residence of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

Following permission from the one-man judicial probe headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court, Justice H.S. Bedi, advocate Mushtaq Ahmad went to the Gupkar Road residence of Abdullah.

"I have seen the place today and familiarized myself with the topography. This will help me in cross examination of those who were present when Haji Yusuf was called to the chief minister's residence Sep 29 last year," the lawyer told media persons.

Asked what help would the visit provide for ascertaining the facts about Yusuf's death, the lawyer said: "I will not disclose my defence before the media."

The lawyer had moved an application before the commission of inquiry seeking permission to visit Abdullah's residence, the headquarters of the state Crime Branch and the police hospital in Srinagar, the three places Haji Yusuf went to before he died in police custody here Sep 30, 2011.

He was handed over to the Crime Branch by Abdullah who had called him to his residence after two party workers accused Haji Yusuf of taking bribes from them, promising one a legislator's job and the other a ministerial berth.

While the family alleged he had been tortured to death, an autopsy showed that Haji Yusuf died of cardiac arrest.(OK)