Khan appears before police, pleads innocence

Khan appears before police, pleads innocence

Srinagar, Feb 13: Former Health Minister, Shabir Ahmed Khan accused of molesting a lady doctor presented himself before Police on Thursday in accordance with the directions from High Court.

The J&K High Court on Wednesday directed former Health Minister to make himself available before Police by Thursday evening for “investigation, interrogation” in case of alleged sexual assault on a lady doctor here.

While taking to reporters before joining police for investigations, Khan termed the molestation accusation by the lady doctor as baseless.

“These allegations are false and frivolous aimed at spoiling my political image and career. I am innocent and will follow the orders of Jammu and Kashmir High Court. I will cooperate with the investigation.”

He added that he is hopeful that court will do justice. “On the directions of court I will record my statement before the investigating team.”

High Court on Wednesday passed an interim order on the anticipatory bail application, asking Khan, not to leave territorial jurisdiction of the state till February 18 when it posted the main application for announcing the orders.

“I am here to give my statement to the investigating team on the directions of the court. I will fully cooperate with them. I am hopeful of getting justice from the court,” Khan added.

The delay in Khan’s arrest had evoked sharp criticism across Kashmir.

However Khan rebutted the reports of him being on run. “Who told you I was hiding. I was in touch with media and my statements appeared in a section of newspapers. I talked to some media men on telephone and was not at large,” he said.

Pertinently, a lady doctor in a complaint had alleged that Khan attempted to sexually assault her when she met him at his office on Jan 28, 2013. They also revealed that victim in her complaint had alleged that she received repeated calls from Minister’s office asking her to visit his office immediately as minister wanted to know about the announcements made by Union  Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad during his visit to the Pampore hospital where she works. Despite her requests that Minister should obtain the information from senior officials, the doctor alleged, she was compelled to report at his office on January 28, 2014.

Based on the complaint, Police registered a First Information Report no. 9 U/S 354, 509 RPC dated Feb 6, 2014 against the minister at the Shaheed Gunj police station.

“Secretariat is a public place and I repeat that charges against me are baseless and do not carry any weight,” Khan said.

He said he resigned from the council of ministers on the party’s advice” and to enable a “free and fair probe” into the matter.

Pertinently, Jammu and Kashmir High Court had asked Khan to present himself before police. The court had also issued directions to investigating officer to release him on personal bond in case the politician was arrested.