NIA raids NGOs, activists, local daily offices in J&K

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday had carried out raids on the offices of several non-governmental organisations, human rights activists and Greater Kashmir, a local daily, in Srinagar.

The raid was also conducted on a house in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.

NIA officials said that they had conducted searches at 10 locations in Srinagar and Bandipora in the Kashmir valley and one more premises in Bengaluru in connection with a case pertaining to NGOs and Trusts raising funds at home and abroad.

The funds were allegedly raised in the name of charitable activities and subsequently used for carrying out secessionist and separatist activities in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), which was declared a Union territory (UT) on October 31, 2019 following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution on August 5 in the same year.

“A case was registered under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 124A (sedition) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967 on receipt of credible information that certain NGOs and Trusts are collecting funds at home and abroad through donations and business contributions etc; and are utilising these funds for secessionist and terrorist activities in J&K,” an NIA spokesman said.

Raids were conducted on the residence and office of Khurram Parvez, co-ordinator of J&K Coalition of Civil Society; his associates Parvez Ahmad Bukhari, Parvez Ahmad Matta,

Swati Sheshadri; who is based in Bengaluru; Parveena Ahanger, the chairperson of Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons ( APDPK), and NGO Athrout and GK Trust, among others, the spokesperson said.

“Several incriminating documents and electronic devices have been seized. Further investigation is in progress,” he added.

Bukhari, a journalist, works for a foreign news agency.

Mehbooba Mufti, former J&K chief minister and the chief of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), alleged that the NIA has emerged a “pet agency” of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party “to intimidate and browbeat those who refuse to fall in line”.

She alleged: “NIA raids on human rights activist Khurram Parvez and the Greater Kashmir office in Srinagar is yet another example of the government’s vicious crackdown on freedom of expression and dissent. Sadly, NIA has become BJPs pet agency to intimidate and browbeat those who refuse to fall in line.”

THE AGENCY SAID THE RAIDS WERE IN CONNECTION WITH A CASE PERTAINING TO NGOS AND TRUSTS RAISING FUNDS AT HOME AND ABROAD