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Srinagar: The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Jammu and Kashmir unit has suspended its Pulwama district president, Syed Showkat Gayoor Andrabi, on allegations of extortion, criminal intimidation and other offences.

The action was taken hours after the Jammu and Kashmir Police registered a case against Andrabi.

The complaint, filed by a resident of Budgam, alleged that Andrabi threatened to use his “position/influence” to have the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) invoked against the complainant if he did not comply with his allegedly “illegal demands.”

According to the complaint, the incident took place on August 8 at Parigam in South Kashmir, where vehicles belonging to the complainant were transporting soil for Gurdwara Parbandhak, Barthana.

The complainant alleged that Andrabi arrived at the extraction site and tried to obstruct their work. He added that Andrabi “deliberately parked his personal vehicle in front of the vehicles of the complainant,” thereby obstructing movement and preventing the him and his drivers from continuing their work.

“The accused has been using the threat of action under the PSA as a means of intimidating and coercing the complainant into complying with his unlawful monetary demands,” the first information report mentions.

The complaint also accuses Andrabi of extortion, wrongful restraint, criminal intimidation, intentional insult and repeated illegal demands in connection with what........

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