The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested Syed Shahid Yusuf, son of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin.
The arrest comes a day after the Central government announced the appointment of a special representative to carry forward the dialogue process in Jammu and Kashmir.
A government official told The Hindu that Mr. Yusuf, who works in the agriculture department of the J&K government, was arrested as his name cropped up in a 2011 case registered by the NIA pertaining to terror funding.
The investigation revealed that one of the accused, Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, based in Syria, allegedly transferred money to Mr. Yusuf on the direction of Salahuddin.
“The money was sent between 2011-14 and it was used for terrorist activities in the Kashmir Valley,” said the official. The NIA revived the investigation recently, even though the case is under trial in a city court.
Four persons related to this case — Ghulam Mohammed Bhat, Mohammad Sidiq Ghanaian, Ghulam Jeelani Liloo and Farooq Ahmed Dagga, were arrested earlier. Two others, Mohd. Maqbool Pandit and Aijaz Ahmed Bhat are absconding.
(With PTI inputs)
