NIA questions Mirwaiz’s uncles in terror-funding case

NEWDELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) questioned two maternal uncles of moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and his close aides in connection with the funding of terror and separatist groups in the Kashmir Valley. Maulvi Manzoor and Maulvi Shafat — both senior retired government officers — were served notices last week to appear before the agency.

The questioning of the duo would continue for some days, the NIA sleuths said.

The NIA probe seeks to identify the chain of players behind the financing of terrorist activities.

Another close aide of the Mirwaiz, Shahid-ul-Islam, and businessman Zahoor Watali are being continuously grilled by the NIA for last seven days regarding alleged disbursement of funds.

The close scrutiny of the businessman’s account showed close proximity with some small-time politicians from the Kashmir Valley.

The businessman has been asked about his association with the separatists, especially hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the sources said.

The NIA has sent fresh summonses to close aides of Geelani, including his son-in-law Altaf Ahmed Shah alias Altaf Fantoosh and his spokesman Ayaz Akbar, to appear before the agency, they said.

The agency was contemplating seeking a production warrant from a special court against the duo. Both were placed under preventive custody by the Jammu and Kashmir police on June 27 on account of law and order situation in the Valley.

This move by the state police raised many eyebrows as neither of them had ever been taken into preventive custody during the peak of agitations earlier.