SEPARATISTS CASE

Terror funding: NIA raids 12 locations in Kashmir

nia-logo-ani Representative image | File

Searches being carried out in Srinagar, Baramulla and Handwara

The National Investigating Agency (NIA), on Wednesday, conducted more raids at 12 different locations including the residence of a prominent lawyer and close aide of separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani in Srinagar.

Advocate Mohammad Shafi Reshi's residence at posh Bagaat-Barzulla was raided early this morning.

Reshi, who is the uncle Yasir Reshi, PDP leader and member of Jammu and Kashmir legislative council, was among the 12 lawyers nominated by Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association to examine the constitutional validity of NIA Act 2008 and its application to Jammu and Kashmir, and suggest ways for providing necessary legal aid to all those who have been booked by the NIA.

Sources said house belonging to Shafi Reshi and premises related to Zahoor Watali were searched by the NIA teams and documents related to property were finances seized.

The NIA also seized electronic devices like mobile phones, pen drives, and hard drives.

Condemning the raids on Reshi's house, Jammu, and Kashmir High Court Bar Association said Reshi is a pro-freedom activist, who has all along pleaded the cause of the people, both inside and outside the court.

"It is only because of this reason that the NIA has raided his house to torture, humiliate and pressurise him and to force him to give up his support to the freedom struggle.” said Bashir Sadiq, general secretary of Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association.

Today's raids were conducted at residences located in Srinagar, Handwara, Kupwara, and Pulwama “Searches are still continuing and the suspects are being questioned about the incriminating recoveries made from them,” sources said.

The fresh raids have come three weeks after NIA arrested seven separatists, including Geelani's son-in-law Altaf Ahmed Shah alias Fantoosh, political secretary, Peer Saifullah,  spokesman, Ayaz Akbar, close aid and district Raja Kalwala. Others include Nayeem Khan of National Front, Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bitta Karate of JKLF (R), Aftab Hilali alias and close aid of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Shahid-ul-Islam.

The raids also come days after Geelani’s two sons were summoned and questioned by NIA in Delhi.

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