The seven arrested separatists leaders will be produced before the Patiala House Court today.
Yesterday, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested seven Hurriyat leaders on money laundering charges to fund terror in the Kashmir Valley. The leaders were brought to the headquarters of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Delhi.
The seven separatists include Naeem Khan, Bitta Karate, Altaf Funtus, Ayaz Akbar, T. Saifullah, Meraz Kalwal and Saheed Ul Islam. They have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Six of them were arrested from Srinagar, while Bitta Karate was arrested from New Delhi.
The arrests follow the NIA's Srinagar-visit in May to probe the alleged funding by Pakistan for illegal activities in Kashmir. It had then questioned several separatist leaders on the issue of raising, collecting and transferring funds via the Hawala route and other channels to fund terror activities in Kashmir.
The NIA sleuths had specifically questioned separatist leaders Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bitta Karate and Gazi Javed Baba at that time. The NIA is said to be probing all aspects of funding to separatist leaders and how they reportedly used these funds to fuel unrest in the Kashmir Valley.
Meanwhile, expressing content over the Centre's commitment to proceed against the separatists, defence experts blatantly said that 'no mercy' should be shown to the Hurriyat.
"Many activities, such as burning of schools, stone-pelting are being funded by these Separatists. It is absolutely essential that no mercy be shown to them," said defence expert P.K. Saihgal.
Another expert Qamar Agha felt that this is just the beginning and further investigation into the matter would reveal names of many big people.
"It is obvious that many big names are involved in this. It is just the first lead. They will get strict punishment if the charge against them is proven," Agha said.
