Terror funding: NIA conducts fresh raids in Kashmir

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), probing terror funding to separatists and militants, on Wednesday conducted fresh raids at about a dozen locations in Jammu and Kashmir.

Sources said the sleuths of the premier probe agency raided at least a dozen locations in Srinagar, and north Kashmir's Baramulla and Handwara areas.

"The houses of two officials of the state government, who are related to a high profile businessman, were also searched by the NIA in Tangmarg area of Baramulla district.

In Handwara, the house of a student pursuing his medical course (MBBS) in Pakistan, was also searched," they said and added house of Advocate Shafi Reshi, uncle of ruling PDP, MLC Yasir Reshi was also raided.

Sources revealed the businessman, whose relatives houses were raided, has financial activities spread between Kashmir, Delhi, Dubai and London and has been questioned by the NIA sleuths, several times in the past two months.

"However, he hasn't been formally arrested yet. The businessman could be arrested if charges of murky financial deals against him, including his acquisition of properties at several places allegedly in partnership with a former IPS officer, proved to be correct," they said.

On July 24, the NIA arrested seven separatist leaders including Altaf Shah alias Fantoosh, the son-in-law of hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani, in connection with its probe into the funding of terror and subversive activities in the Valley. 

"The fresh raids were conducted after disclosures made by the separatists in NIA custody. In the coming days, the NIA is expected to conduct more raids based on the inputs from the arrested separatists," sources said.

Earlier, on June 3-4, the premier probe agency raided residences of financiers, hawala operators and office bearers of separatist groups at nearly 30 locations, during which it seized cash, gold jewellery/coins, property related documents, letterheads of Lashkar-e-Toiba and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, pen-drives, laptops, mobile phones and other incriminating documents.

The NIA has also questioned octogenarian Geelani's sons, Dr Nayeem and Naseem, though both have been let off after several rounds of interrogation in New Delhi. The NIA is investigating if funds from Pakistan were used to fuel last year's unrest in Kashmir that left more than 90 people dead.