Jammu, Sept 08: A senior minister in Jammu and Kashmir is under a cloud of suspicion following disclosures by a Lashkar-e-Toiba militant, an accused in the Akshardam temple temple attack case, that he had taken shelter in the minister's house. Even as police have denied any connection between State Agriculture Minister Abdul Aziz Zargar and let terrorists involved in Akshardam temple attack, an investigation is on to probe the truth in the matter, official sources said. They said the minister's house at Manzgam village in South Kashmir was visited by militants like other houses for food and shelter.

However, Zargar maintained that the house was not being used by him and his family. One of the main accused in the Akshardham temple case had reportedly said in his interrogation that two Lashkar militants had made the minister's residence their hideout before leaving for the attack in Gujarat.


A Bareilly mechanic, Shan Mian alias Chand Khan, currently being interrogated by Gujarat Police, had allegedly told police that Lashkar militants Abdullah and Shakeel had masterminded the attack on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's Gaurav Yatra in Gujarat at the minister's residence in Annantnag district.

The duo had left his house on September 19, 2002 and two ambassador cars, fabricated by him for the attack, have been seized by police, as per Chand Khan's claim.
Bureau Report