The complaint, which makes part of the police FIR, further reads that the complainant was forced to pay Rs 54,000 to the accused in two installments of Rs 50,000 and Rs 4000 in November last year.A BJP leader has been booked by the Jammu and Kashmir Police for extortion following the receipt of a complaint which alleged that he demanded money from a contractor and threatened to have them detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA) if they refused to pay.Syed Showkat Gayoor, who served as the party district president for south Kashmir’s Pulwana, has been booked for wrongful restraint, extortion and criminal intimidation.Immediately after the development, BJP suspended him from all organisational posts and responsibilities till the “finalisation of disciplinary proceedings” against him.In his complaint to the police, Mohammad Yasin Ganie accused Gayoor of interfering and obstructing him and his drivers, threatening them and demanding “illegal gratification as a condition for allowing the complainant to continue the lawful work”.“The complainant is engaged in the extraction and transportation of soil for the work… the said work is being carried out strictly in accordance with the permission granted by the competent authorities,” the complaint read.“…The complainant is being repeatedly pressurised to make unlawful payments to the accused. On several occasions, the accused demanded a sum of Rs 5,00,000 from the complainant as an illegal gratification/extortion amount and conveyed, in substance, that unless the complainant complied with his demand, he would not permit the complainant to continue his lawful work”.The complaint read that Gayoor used the threat of action under the Public Safety Act as a means of intimidating and coercing the complainant into complying with his unlawful monetary demands.Story continues below this ad“The accused has further threatened the complainant that he would use his position/influence and get PSA slapped against the complainant if the complainant failed to oblige his illegal demands,” the complaint said.The complaint, which makes part of the police FIR, further reads that the complainant was forced to pay Rs 54,000 to the accused in two installments of Rs 50,000 and Rs 4000 in November last year.Later, police booked Gayoor under sections 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 308(2) (extortion), 308(3) putting a person in fear of any injury to commit extortion, and 351(2) (criminal intimidation).The BJP has stripped Gayoor of his post as District President Pulwama. “On the suggestions of Adv. Sunil Sethi, Chairman, Disciplinary Committee BJP J&K, and in consultation with Sh. Sat Sharma (CA) Ji, President BJP J&K, MP and Sh. Mohmmad Anwar Khan, General Secretary, BJP J&K, disciplinary proceedings are hereby initiated against Er. Syed Showkat Gayoor Andrabi, District President, BJP Pulwama, in view of the FIR alleging extortion registered against him,” the FIR reads.Story continues below this ad“Pending finalisation of the disciplinary proceedings, Er. Syed Showkat Gayoor Andrabi is hereby suspended from all organisational posts and responsibilities of the Bharatiya Janata Party, including the post of District President, Pulwama, with immediate effect”.BJP has said the party reiterates its “commitment to maintaining the highest standards of discipline, integrity and morality in public life”.Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. Expertise and Experience Two Decades of Frontline Reporting: Bashaarat has spent 20 years documenting the evolution of Kashmir, from high-intensity conflict and political shifts to socio-economic development. Award-Winning Investigative Journalism: He is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2012). This honor was bestowed for his reporting on the Pathribal fake encounter, a series of stories that highlighted his ability to handle sensitive human rights and security issues with investigative rigor. Specialized Beats: His authoritative coverage spans: Political Transitions: Tracking the shift from statehood to Union Territory, electoral dynamics, and the pulse of local governance. Security & Conflict: Providing nuanced reporting on counter-insurgency, civil liberties, and the impact of the conflict on the civilian population. Development: Documenting the infrastructure, healthcare, and educational landscape within the Valley. Academic Background: He holds a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir, providing him with a localized academic and professional foundation that is rare in regional reporting. ... Read More