Widening its probe in the terror funding and hawala case, the National Investigation Agency has summoned independent J&K legislator Engineer Rashid Sheikh for questioning on October 3 in New Delhi.
Rashid, who heads Awami Itehad Party, is known for his hardline stand on Kashmir that echoes separatism. He demands a UN supervised plebiscite or a referendum to settle the J&K dispute.
The NIA started a probe on hawala fundings after two separatists, Nayeem Khan of National Front, which is a part of Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bitta Karate, a leader of JKLF, were caught on tape admitting that the separatists received hawala funds to stir trouble in Kashmir that includes burning of schools in valley.
To date, the agency has arrested seven middle rung Kashmiri separatists and a businessman.
It recently summoned the Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTFM) President, Yasin Khan, university scholar Alla Fazil and an independent photojournalist Kamran Yousuf for separatist questioning.
The NIA has raided several locations in Srinagar, Budgam, and Jammu and seized cash and documents.
The NIA also questioned businessmen, who are connected with cross LoC trade.
Rashid, 50 hailing from Langate area of Kupwara, has been elected twice to the assembly and is quite popular among the people in his constituency.
In a statement Rashid said the move by NIA is politically motivated
''My life is like an open book and my people, who have voted me for the second time as their representative against all odds, are the best judge to my activities,'' the statement said.
The statement said New Delhi should introspect and understand that Kashmiris are neither India’s enemies nor are they seeking the resolution of 70 year old Kashmir dispute on communal lines.
''It is New Delhi that promised Right to self determination for people of the state,'' the statement said. ''Government should investigate hundreds of custodial killings, forced labour in border areas and huge atrocities and torture on innocent civilians during the last 29 years,'' the statement said.
