Separatist leaders questioned by NIA in Delhi

Three separatist’s leaders from Kashmir who appeared before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday were questioned in connection with a case related to the funding of ‘terror and subversive’ activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

 Agency sources said Farooq Ahmad Dar alias ‘Bitta Karate’, Nayeem Khan and Javed Ahmed Baba alias ‘Gazi’ of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat has arrived here for questioning by NIA sleuths.

 Dar, Ahmed and Khan were asked to bring certain bank and property documents, besides other papers, before the NIA team that had questioned them here for four consecutive days earlier this month.

According to the agency officials, the separatist leaders were asked to bring along details of their bank accounts and property papers.

Last week, the counter-terror agency questioned National Front Chairman, Nayeem Khan, Tehreek-e-Hurriyat leader Baba and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) leader Dar for four consecutive days in Srinagar, regarding their alleged involvement in raising, receiving funds through hawala channels for stoking violence in Kashmir.

On 20 May, the agency had collected details of 13 accused and charge-sheeted accused in cases of arson attacks on schools and public property in Kashmir.

The agency had on 19 May questioned suspended Hurriyat leader Nayeem Khan — who was shown in a sting operation by a private news channel while confessing that Pakistan was pumping in money to stoke trouble in the Valley in connivance with Hurriyat leaders.

The channel aired the sting video on 16 May in which Khan admitted that money from Pakistan-based organisations was routed through hawala.

The official said the agency was probing all aspects of funding of separatist leaders and use of these funds in fuelling the unrest in the Valley after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on 8 July, 2016.

The agency registered a preliminary inquiry against Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani and his close aide and Hurriyat provincial president Nayeem Khan, Dar and Baba.

The separatist leaders were alleged to have received money from the Lashkar-e-Taiba and other sources in Pakistan to fund stone-pelting and violent protests in Jammu and Kashmir.

 

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