Hardliner Geelani’s kin and his three political aides land in NIA net for terror funding
Much before the National Investigating Agency (NIA) had arrested seven Hurriyat leaders on Sunday in connection with the funding of terror activities in Kashmir, the agency had unearthed a racket involving undervaluation of the goods coming from the Pakistan occupied Kashmir for trade in Jammu and Kashmir via the Line of Control (LoC) for the same purpose.
Sources said the funding thus generated amounted to about Rs 16 crore per month and, that, they feel, was just a small fraction of what is being used to sustain terrorism and disruptions in normal life at the behest of the Hurriyat in Kashmir. This is beside the huge personal expenses of the Hurriyat leaders.
Sources said the gap in cross LoC trade was a regular source of funds for terrorism in Kashmir but “this was also only the tip of the iceberg”.
The NIA had pressed into service several officers to scan through a pile of digital data recovered during raids at 27 places across north India to reach those involved in using their bank accounts to bring funds from Pakistan and other countries to sustain the ‘secessionist movement’ in Kashmir. Those arrested from Srinagar and New Delhi are considered close to Hurriyat’s hawkish leader Sayed Ali Shah Geelani as well as the moderate face Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.
The following have been arrested by NIA:
Nayeem Khan: The current investigation into the funding channels of Hurriyat leaders was triggered by his admission, in a secretly shot video, that he can create any amount of disruption in Kashmir for money. Nayeem was once a lieutenant of Shabir Shah, once a much-jailed separatist in Kashmir who had spoken about the Gandhian ways of protest. Nayeem had branched off from Shah and floated his outfit to become part of Geelani’s Hurriyat till the secret interview was out, leading to his expulsion from the party. He had emerged as a close associate of the Hurriyat (G) chief Sayed Ali Shah Geelani. He had blown the cover of the terror funding to a media crew, who had posed as business men interested in bringing down the Mehbooba Mufti government in Kashmir, that he can get schools burnt down and arrange youth to throw stones for a price. The money, he said was easily coming from abroad via hawala and other channels. Khan has openly claimed Rs 100 crore was sent by Lashkar e toiba from Pakistan for stone pelting and burning down of schools.
Farooq Ahmad Dar: Known by his alias Bitta Karate, the former JKLF militant, is known for his admissions (in custody) to a television channel that he had killed many Kashmiri Hindus. He has been detained, but never tried for killings that he admitted on camera, for want of evidence and eyewitnesses.
Altaf Ahmad Shah alias ‘Fantoosh’: He is the eldest son-in-law of Sayed Ali Shah Geelani. He is involved in Geelani’s brand of politics and is also seen as his heir apparent. Fantoosh owns a family business - a shop of Kashmiri fashion wear with the same name – in Srinagar. The NIA suspects he is getting funds under the garb of his business for funding terror and subversion in the Valley.
Ayaz Akbar: He is the spokesperson of Hurriyat (Geelani) and considered to be very close to Geelani. Peer Saifullah and Raja Mehrajuddin Kalwal hold senior positions in SAS Geelani’s party Tehrrek-e-Hurriyat, which has been espousing the cause of Kashmir joining Pakistan and giving the Islamic twist to the movement.
Shahid-ul-Islam: He is a former militant who once controlled a huge area in Srinagar down town. Now he is media and legal advisor to Mirwaiz Moulvi Umer Farooq. He is very close to the young cleric who is seen as a moderate face of Hurriyat conference.
They have been booked under Sections 120B, 121, 121A of the IPC and section 13,16,17,18, 20, 38, 39 and 40 of the Unlawful Activities (prevention) Act, 1967.
