Funding of Kashmiri separatists by LeT, JuD: NIA begins probe against top Hurriyat leaders

The NIA on Friday began its preliminary probe against top Hurriyat leaders for allegedly receiving funds from Pakistan-based terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), Jamaat-Ud-Dawaah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed and others to foment violence in J&K.

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday began its preliminary probe against top Hurriyat leaders for allegedly receiving funds from Pakistan-based terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), Jamaat-Ud-Dawaah (JuD) headed by Hafiz Saeed and others to foment violence in Kashmir Valley.

The NIA believes that LeT and JuD funded Hurriyat leaders to foment violence in the Jammu and Kashmir region.

According to Hindustan Times, the agency will now call key Hurriyat figures like Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Naeem Khan, Gazi Javed Baba and Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bitta Karate for questioning in connection with the funds received by them.

The four key Hurriyat leaders figures in NIA's preliminary enquiry (PE), the report said.

A PE is a precursor to an FIR (first investigation report), the first step to launching a probe.

The four are suspected to have received funds from militant outfits like LeT, JuD to pay off people carrying out violent protests and arson in the Kashmir Valley, where more than 100 civilians have been killed since July last year.

The agency believes the money received by the Hurriyat leaders was routed through hawala — a system of transferring money across borders that is outlawed in India. 

The PE names LeT founder Hafiz Saeed as one of the sources for the funds, in addition to other unknown persons in Pakistan.

The NIA will also verify allegations in a sting operation that showed some of the Hurriyat leaders talking about receiving money from Saeed and other Pakistani individuals.