Former VP Nasir Hamid Khan files case against Kashmir Chamber over alleged “misuse of funds, membership irregularities

SRINAGAR: Renowned Businessman and Former Senior Vice President Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Nasir Hamid Khan, has filed a civil suit in a Srinagar court, alleging that his expulsion from the Chamber was a “retaliatory action” following his efforts to expose financial irregularities within the organisation.Khan, proprietor of Sunfresh Supermarkets and a member of the KCCI since 2002, has sought legal intervention for a declaration that the Chamber’s refusal to restore his membership is “arbitrary, illegal and contrary to the KCCI’s Articles of Association.”

He is also seeking an injunction to reinstate his membership and prevent any further obstruction to his participation in Chamber activities, particularly elections.The case was initially presented before the District Judge, Srinagar, and has since been transferred to the Court of the 4th Additional District Judge. A caveat has been filed, and the court has issued notice to the respondents for submission of a written statement and objections.

The next hearing is scheduled for 13 June, 2025.According to the suit file, the issue began during Hamid Khan’s tenure as Senior Vice President of KCCI (2017–2020), when he raised red flags over alleged financial misconduct in organising the “7th International Buyer-Seller Meet” in 2018. Audit reports (Annexures VI and VII) presented to the Executive Committee allegedly pointed to misuse of government funds and inflated billing, resulting in a reported loss of over ₹24.82 lakh to the Chamber.The Executive Committee, on 2nd August, 2019, passed a resolution to recover ₹15 lakh from four past office-bearers three of whom are now said to hold senior positions in the current executive body.

Nasir Khan alleges that his actions to highlight the alleged misappropriation led to growing hostility from the current leadership, including the President and Junior Vice President, who are among those named in the recovery order.In August 2024, Khan received a notice from the Chamber regarding unpaid subscription dues of ₹8,378. Believing he had time until March 2025 to clear the dues and choosing to remain a “passive member,” he did not attend the Annual General Meeting.

However, when he visited the Chamber in March 2025 to pay the dues, he was informed that his membership had been terminated in September 2024.He subsequently paid ₹15,458, covering arrears, GST and an “admission fee,” and submitted a request for restoration of his membership. However, even after three months, he claims there was no official response—despite Article 7(e) of the KCCI Constitution requiring decisions on such applications to be communicated within 15 days.Khan has alleged that the “admission fee” was wrongfully imposed to block his eligibility in future elections, pointing to Article 7(a)(i) and 7(a)(ii), which require two to four years of uninterrupted membership to contest.The case has brought fresh attention to internal matters of the KCCI, raising serious questions about governance, accountability  and the treatment of dissent within the organisation.