NIA steps up heat on Hurriyat FIR against separatist leader Asiya Andrabi
PROBE Agency planning to question several midlevel separatists
NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA)’S newly revived Kashmir terror funding probe may soon land at the doorstep of top separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani, with the federal investigation agency planning to issue summons for questioning his associate Ghulam Nabi Sumji, officials familiar with the development said.
“Sumji will be summoned soon. We have lots of questions for him,” said an investigator who spoke on condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to media.
Besides Sumji, the investigator said, the agency also intends to call Abdul Rahim Wani, brother-in-law of businessman Zahoor Watali, who has already been charged in the case; Abdul Razak, a close aide to separatist Shabir Shah; Shakeel Bakshi, an aide to separatist Yasin Malik; and advocate Shafi Reshi, who is the legal secretary of Geelani’s Hurriyat. Reshi is also the uncle of Yasir Reshi, who is a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) MLC.
Sumji, secretary general of Geelani’s hardline Hurriyat, is a former member of the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) assembly from the Homeshalibug constituency. He remained a legislator between 1987 and 1989 when he was a member of the Muslim United Front, and resigned after militancy broke out in the Valley.
A few weeks ago, Sumji hit the headlines for seeking a revision of his MLA pension. “I don’t know why the NIA wants to question me though it is true that my house was raided last year. I have not received any summons from the NIA so far. And, yes, it is true I had asked for revised pension for being EX-MLA,” said Sumji.
A spokesperson for Geelani declined to comment on the issue.
Following the current round of questioning, the NIA intends to go after the top leadership of the Hurriyat – which includes the triumvirate of Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik.
In May last year, the NIA initiated a probe against unnamed Hurriyat leaders and associates of three terror outfits — Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-taiba (LET) and Dukhtaran-e-millat — suspected of receiving funds from Pakistan-based LET patron Hafiz Mohammed Saeed.
In January, besides Watali, the NIA charged seven middle-rung separatists, including Geelani’s son-in-law Altaf Ahmad Shah ‘Fantoosh’ and Farooq Ahmad Dar alias Bitta Karate; and two terror chiefs – Hafiz Saeed and Syed Salahuddin – in the case.
“The NIA conducted raids at many locations including Sumji’s premises between June and September last year... And now these persons are being called to fill critical gaps in our investigation,” said the investigator.
NIA investigators say their probe has shown that separatists have a well-oiled structure in place in the Valley which, they claim, helps in organising funerals of slain militants, provides financial help to their families and regularly makes payments to those who organise stone-pelting protests against security forces. NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday said an FIR registered against Kashmiri separatist leader Asiya Andrabi for allegedly advocating the secession of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) from the Union of India and calling for the use of violence against the country.
The FIR was registered on April 26 this year against Asiya and her associates, a senior NIA official said.
“The Central government has received information that one Asiya Andrabi and her associates namely Sofi Fehmeeda and Nahida Nasreen are actively running a terrorist organisation named as “Dukhtaran-e-millat” (DEM) which is proscribed under the First Schedule to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. They are using various media platforms to spread insurrectionary imputations and hateful speeches that endanger the integrity, security and sovereignty of India,” the NIA said.
The probe agency has alleged that DEM, through Asiya, “openly advocates the secession of J&K from the Union of India and has also called for Jihad and use of violence against India”.
Asiya, who is currently jailed in Srinagar, is the head of DEM. She is also the wife of jailed separatist leader Dr Qasim Faktoo. The DEM was named in an earlier NIA case in which LET chief Hafiz Saeed and Hizbul Mujahideen supremo Syed Salahudin were charge-sheeted.
NIA spokesperson Alok Mittal said the case against Asiya is a separate one. “Asiya Andrabi and her associates have written and spoken words, besides publishing visible representations that bring in hatred and contempt apart from exciting disaffection towards the Government of India. DEM is promoting enmity, hatred and ill-will between different communities on the grounds of religion ...” NIA said. DEM already figured among the 39 banned terrorist organisation under section 35 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act but had been conducting its activities in the valley.