Jammu and Kashmir Police have registered an FIR against Showkat Gayoor, BJP’s district president for south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, following allegations of coercion and financial extortion tied to a soil extraction project being carried out for the Gurudwara Parbandhak in Barthana.
The First Information Report, numbered 0145/2026, was officially filed at the Pulwama police station on August 10, based on a formal complaint submitted by Mohammad Yaseen Ganie, a resident of Suthsoo BK Pora in Budgam.
According to the complainant’s narrative, Ganie asserts that he had duly secured the requisite permissions from the competent authorities for the extraction and transportation of soil. However, he alleges that Gayoor systematically disrupted the ongoing work, repeatedly demanding a payment of Rs 5 lakh and issuing explicit threats to completely halt operations if the money was not surrendered.
The complaint details a specific incident on August 8, around 10:50 am, when Gayoor allegedly arrived at the worksite in Parigam. He is accused of strategically parking his vehicle directly in front of the operational trucks, effectively blocking their movement. Subsequently, the complaint states, Gayoor verbally abused and threatened the drivers and laborers present at the site. He also purportedly filmed the scene on his mobile phone while falsely accusing the workers of executing illegal activities.
When the workers confronted him regarding the unwarranted obstruction, Gayoor is alleged to have escalated the intimidation by threatening them with detention under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA), warning that they would be “booked under PSA.” Ganie further contends that such PSA threats had been a recurring tactic used to pressure him into complying with the monetary demands.
The FIR also contains a specific allegation regarding prior payments, claiming that ₹54,000 had already been extorted from Ganie. This reportedly includes a transfer of ₹50,000 made on November 21, 2025, followed by an additional ₹4,000 the very next day. The complainant maintains that these sums were paid under significant duress, amid continuous threats and work stoppages.
In response to the accusations, police have initiated legal proceedings under Sections 126(2), 351(2), 308(2), and 308(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Assistant Sub-Inspector Bashir Ahmad Dar has been designated as the investigating officer tasked with probing the matter.
As part of his appeal, Ganie has requested a formal verification of the alleged financial transactions, a thorough examination of the drivers and workers who witnessed the incident, and an inquiry into whether similar extortionate demands were made to other individuals. It is crucial to emphasize that these allegations remain unsubstantiated at this stage and are subject to confirmation through the ongoing police investigation.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has suspended Gayoor from all organisational posts following the registration of a criminal case against him in connection with allegations of extortion, criminal intimidation and wrongful restraint.
According to an order issued by the BJP, disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against Gayoor following the registration of the police case. The action was taken on the suggestion of the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee, J&K BJP, Advocate Sunil Sethi, and in consultation with BJP J&K President and Rajya Sabha MP Sat Sharma (CA) and BJP General Secretary J&K Mohd Anwar Khan.
Pending the outcome of the internal disciplinary proceedings, Gayoor has been suspended from all organisational posts, including the post of BJP District President, Pulwama, with immediate effect, the order states.
