NIA once again summons Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooqto Delhi for questioning in terror funding case

Official sources said that the national probe agency has issued a notice to the Mirwaiz, directing him to appear before NIA at its New Delhi headquarters on April 18. “The notice states that Mirwaiz’s security concerns in New Delhi will be taken care of,” they added.

The Mirwaiz had refused to travel to Delhi on earlier two occasions, citing security and other reasons.

On March 18, the Mirwaiz had reiterated that he is willing to cooperate in the matter but has asked for the venue for examination to be shifted from Delhi to Srinagar.

“Mirwaiz has already expressed his concern through his counsel in the earlier response dated March 10 and again on March 18,” a spokesperson for HC said.

The Counsel in his reply had mentions that his client has informed him that on several occasions, many people have been examined by the Agency at Humhama Budgam while conducting investigation. “He sees no reason why his client cannot be examined in similar manner,” the counsel had said in the reply.

The first notice to appear before NIA on March 11 had come less than two weeks after the agency on February 26 conducted searches at the premises of separatist leaders, including the Mirwaiz, in his alleged connection with a terror funding case.

The state government last month withdrew security cover to the Mirwaiz, following directions by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to review security and other facilities of all separatist leaders, after the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) fidayeen attack on CRPF convoy at Awantipora on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway left 44 jawans dead in February.

The sleuths of NIA also conducted searches at the residence of JKLF chief Mohammad Yasin Malik at Maisuma near here on February 26. Malik, who was booked under Public Safety Act (PSA) last month, remained lodged in a jail in Jammu.

The NIA and Enforcement Directorate have already arrested about two dozen separatists and businessmen and lodged them in Delhi's Tihar jail, for their involvement in alleged terror funding.

They included Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) chief Shabir Ahmad Shah and Spokespersons of both the factions of the HC- Aiyaz Akbar, Advocate Shahidul Islam and Naeem Khan.

The list further included sons of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)-based Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) Syed Salahuuddin, apart from son and son-in-law of Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

The security forces, during raids after Pulwama attack, had arrested about 200 leaders of HC, Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) and Jamait-ul-Ahalhadees (JuA) from different parts of the valley.

Image: UNI