The National Investigation Agency (NIA) for the first time on Tuesday questioned a top ranking Hurriyat Conference leader on terror funding charges. The appearance of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq before the NIA in New Delhi has paved the way for a thorough investigation into charges of terror funding and conspiracy against the Hurriyat leader.
Officials in the NIA termed it a significant development as Mirwaiz had allegedly tried to evade questioning in the past. He had not responded initially to the NIA summons and later said he was ready to be examined by the top agency in Srinagar. However, eventually he had to follow the summons and travel to New Delhi.
According to MHA sources, this is in line with the government’s firm stance that the separatist leaders cannot claim immunity and that they will be held accountable under the law of the land. The NIA had conducted raids in February 2019 on allegations of terror funding and money laundering at the premises of Mirwaiz and other Hurriyat leaders like Yasin Malik and son of S.A.S. Geelani, Naseem Geelani.
They are part of the Joint Resistance Leadership who allegedly organised protests, stone pelting and shutdowns in the Valley frequently, disrupting normal life, impacting students and daily wage earners, businesses and tourism.
The investigation against Naseem Geelani and others is proceeding as per the law, said sources.
Recently, legal hurdles have also been cleared for the resumption of trial in Jammu against Yasin Malik in the case of a terrorist attack by JKLF militants in 1990 on IAF personnel, in which four persons were killed. Yasin Malik had allegedly exploited the provisions in law to inordinately delay the trial, said home ministry officials.
Malik was arrested in February and was transferred to Jammu jail. His plea for transfer of trial from Jammu to Srinagar has also been quashed. In a separate measure, the Jammu and Kashmir government withdrew Malik’s security among 919 other individuals since Governor rule was imposed on June 20 last year. The move followed the home ministry’s decision to withdraw security cover to “undeserving” persons which resulted in lack of state police resources for the public at large. These included 22 separatist leaders under the government scanner for anti-national activities.
