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Tariq Bhat
Tariq Bhat

KASHMIR

NIA trying to frame us like Zakir Naik, allege separatists

syed-ali-shah-geelani Syed Ali Shah Geelani | File

Following the investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for allegedly receiving hawala money to fuel unrest in Kashmir, separatists in the state have accused the Centre of trying to frame charges against them as in the case of Islamist preacher Zakir Naik.

In a statement, separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik, who have formed the Joint Resistance Forum (JRF), said the Centre is using the NIA investigations to harass them. Raids and intimidation by the Centre is a “pre-planned psychological crackdown so that they surrender and stop voicing the sentiments of their nation,” JRF stated.

The leaders alleged that Naik also was “forced to leave the country after framing of concocted stories against him. In the same way, to defame the freedom movement, the authorities are planning to frame fake cases against the JFR leadership.” 

The NIA had charged Naik for receiving funds in violation of the laws governing such transactions. 

Naik, who runs the Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), an Islamic missionary organisation, owns schools, charities and a satellite television channel. He was also accused of giving hate speeches. However, Naik had dismissed all NIA allegations and termed them false. He fled India and has not returned following the investigations against IRF and has been alternating between Saudi Arabia and Malaysia to avoid arrest in the country. 

Geelani, Mirwaiz and Malik also alleged that the NIA has ceased to be an autonomous body anymore. “Although this agency (NIA) is being projected as an autonomous body, its services are being utilised to terrorise the leadership and defame and discredit the ongoing freedom movement,” they stated. “They are trying to frame false cases against the resistance leaders and put pressure on them to weaken the resistance movement.” 

The trio also warned of dire consequences if the NIA raids continued.

Last month, Nayeem Khan and Ghazi Khan, linked to Geelani-led faction of Hurriyat Conference, and Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bitta Karate of JKLF (R) were caught on tape admitting that the separatists received money to fuel unrest in Kashmir, including to burn schools in the state. 

While the three were summoned to Delhi for questioning by the NIA after preliminary investigations in Kashmir, many second-rung separatists linked to Geelani and Mirwaiz were also probed. The agency also questioned Shahidul Islam, linked to Mirwaiz, and Geelani's son-in-law Altaf Ahmed Shah alias Fantoosh, and raided their residences for evidence.

The NIA had also questioned a few businessmen in Srinagar and those involved in cross Line of Control (LoC) trade. After preliminary investigations, it was found that the goods sent from Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir to Kashmir were deliberately marked undervalued in price and volume so as to allow traders to sell the excess amount in open market and route the money to separatists.

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