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 he describes as the “legally permitted extraction and transportation of soil.” The FIR also seeks the recovery of Rs 54,000 allegedly extorted from the complainant.The J&K Police have booked Andrabi under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).BJP issues suspension orderFollowing the registration of the FIR, the BJP initiated disciplinary proceedings against Andrabi and suspended him from all organisational posts and responsibilities, including his position as district president of Pulwama.An order issued by J&K BJP General Secretary M. Anwar Khan said the disciplinary proceedings were initiated on the recommendation of Sunil Sethi, chairman of the BJP J&K Disciplinary Committee, and in consultation with MP Sat Sharma, president of the BJP J&K unit.The order said the proceedings had been initiated “in view of the FIR alleging extortion registered against him.”“Pending finalisation of the disciplinary proceedings, Shri Syed Showkat Gayoor Andrabi, District President, BJP Pulwama, is hereby suspended from all organisational posts and responsibilities of BJP, including the post of District President, Pulwama, with immediate effect,” the order said, “The party reiterates its commitment to maintaining the highest standards of discipline, integrity and morality in public life.”Photo: By arrangement.Speaking to The Wire, BJP J&K spokesperson Altaf Thakur said the party had a “zero tolerance” policy towards corruption.“If anybody is found involved in corruption, there is no place for them in the party. By suspending our district president, we want to give a clear message that there is zero tolerance related to these actions in the party,” said Thakur.He clarified, however, that Andrabi had not been removed from the party’s basic membership. “We have not suspended him from the basic membership of the party. These are allegations and further action will be taken after all the investigation and findings of the committee,” he said.Thakur added that the disciplinary committee would submit its report, following which the party would decide on further action.Andrabi’s candidature in 2024 had triggered fissures in the BJPThe latest action against Andrabi comes against the backdrop of the disquiet caused within the BJP over his candidature from Pampore in the 2024 J&K assembly elections.The BJP had fielded Andrabi from Pampore, where he secured 957 votes, or 2.15% of the total vote, and lost to National Conference candidate Hasnain Masoodi. His nomination had reportedly caused fissures within the party.A 2024 report in The Indian Express had quoted a BJP worker questioning the decision to field Andrabi. “He (Gayoor) got the ticket because he is close to Darakhshan Andrabi… He has no other qualification for his candidature,” the worker was quoted as saying after the BJP released its list of candidates.Darakhshan is a member of the BJP National Executive and chairperson of the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board. She is also the only Kashmiri Muslim leader in the BJP’s 18-member core group.From civil engineer to BJP candidateAndrabi, a civil engineer by profession, has been widely described as a social and political activist. He has also served as an executive council member of the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), Awantipora, for three years.In 2023, he was appointed as a member of the National Commission for Minorities, representing the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir at the national level.Union home minister Amit Shah (left) and Showkat Gayoor Andrabi, Photo: Facebook/Showkat Gayoor Andrabi.His political profile subsequently grew within the BJP, culminating in his nomination as the party’s candidate from Pampore in the 2024 assembly elections. His electoral performance, however, remained limited.The current police case and the subsequent disciplinary action taken by the BJP have placed the former Pulwama district chief at the centre of a fresh controversy, with the allegation that the PSA was weaponised to pressurise the complainant into meeting alleged monetary demands.These allegations are yet to be established in court.The Wire tried to contact Andrabi for his response to the allegations, the FIR and the BJP’s decision to suspend him from his organisational posts. However, he did not respond to calls and messages. This story will be updated if he responds.