Srinagar, April 1 -- National Conference president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah has pleaded not guilty before a Srinagar court in connection with the multi-crore Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) financial irregularities case. Appearing via video link before Srinagar chief judicial magistrate (CJM) Tabassum on Monday, the veteran politician dismissed the CBI's charges as "baseless and fabricated" after the court read the chargesheet contents involving him and other accused. The court also recalled a non-bailable warrant (NBW) previously issued against the 86-year-old leader. The warrant, issued on March 12 after Abdullah failed to appear in person or online, was rescinded following an application by his counsel, Ishtiyaq Khan. The defence argued that medical consultants had strictly advised against travel following a recent "murderous attack" on the former chief minister in Jammu. While the CJM had initially rejected an exemption plea, the court opted for leniency regarding his physical presence given his health and the recent security incident. During the proceedings, other accused present in the court also denied the allegations levelled by the CBI. The case pertains to the period between 2005 and 2012, during Abdullah's tenure as JKCA president. The CBI registered its FIR in 2015 following J&K high court orders, alleging a criminal conspiracy to misappropriate funds worth Rs.113 crore provided by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). While Abdullah appeared virtually, the court took a stern view of other absences, issuing a non-bailable warrant against accused Manzoor Gaznafar Ali after rejecting his exemption plea. The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is conducting a parallel money-laundering probe, previously accused Abdullah of leveraging his position to facilitate the laundering of cricket funds. Between 2021 and 2022, the ED filed supplementary chargesheets alleging that the former CM was aware of unauthorised fund transfers but failed to inform the JKCA working committee. The agency has already attached residential and commercial properties belonging to Abdullah worth approximately Rs.12 crore, a move he has challenged in the high court by maintaining that the assets are ancestral. The National Conference continues to maintain that the investigation is a political vendetta orchestrated by the Centre. Party leaders have repeatedly linked the timing of the probes to Abdullah's vocal criticism of the revocation of Article 370. Despite the mounting legal pressure and the recent attempt on his life, the NC president remains firm in his stance that the charges are a tool for political intimidation. The court has scheduled the next hearing for March 30 to record further statements from the accused....