Srinagar, July 28 - Jammu and Kashmir plunged into an unexpected political crisis Tuesday with an emotional Chief Minister Omar Abdullah resigning from office after the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alleged his involvement in a sensational sex scandal that had rocked the state in 2006.

Declaring that he was guilty until proven innocent and could not get back to work till his name was cleared, Abdullah strode out of the assembly after an emotional outburst that stunned his party - and political watchers - with the suddenness with which events unfolded.

Governor N.N. Vohra accepted the resignation of Abdullah, 39, who became the country's youngest chief minister when his National Conference came to power with the Congress in January this year, and asked him to remain in office till a successor was sworn in.

'It is not an accusation of a theft or dacoity. It is a much more serious accusation and I cannot function as the chief minister unless cleared of the accusation,' Abdullah said in the assembly and declared he would return till the slur was removed.

There was high drama as NC legislators tried to physically stop him from walking out, but they were unsuccessful as a determined Abdullah shook them off.

It was all over in just a few minutes.

The sensational scandal broke in April 2006 after police discovered two VCDs showing Kashmiri women being sexually exploited and snowballed into a massive racket that allegedly involved two ministers of the then Congress-PDP government, senior police and paramilitary officers and influential businessmen.

Forty-three women, including a minor, were being allegedly exploited by the powerful establishment, prompting violent protests with mainstream and separatist groups joining hands.

Following the public outrage, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court intervened and directed the CBI to handle the probe. The CBI later presented a chargesheet and a trial is underway at a sessions court in Punjab.

The CBI had arrested G.M. Mir and Raman Mattoo, both ministers in the then PDP government, besides Iqbal Khandey, the former principal secretary to then chief minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed.

On Tuesday, the scandal came back to haunt Kashmiri politicians.