The National Investigation Agency (NIA) registered a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) against Kashmiri separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, for allegedly receiving funds from Lashkar-e-Taiba’s chief Hafiz Saeed to create unrest in the Valley.
A similar PE registered last year by the NIA against Mr. Geelani, to probe his links to two bank accounts through which money was allegedly routed to create unrest in the Kashmir Valley, drew a blank.
The NIA is yet to find any evidence against him in the said case.
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An NIA official said investigation into last year’s PE was continuing.
Others named in the fresh PE are Naeem Khan, who was seen on television during a sting operation by India Today TV ‘confessing’ to have received money from Pakistan-based terror groups; Farooq Ahmed Dar alias ‘Bitta Karate’; and Gazi Javed Baba of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, an NIA spokesperson said.
The separatists were allegedly receiving funds from Hafiz Saeed to carry out subversive activities, including pelting stones at security forces, damaging public property and burning schools and other government establishments, the NIA spokesperson said.
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The NIA has also taken cognisance of the news item related to the recording of conversations between a TV reporter and leaders of separatist groups operating in the Kashmir Valley in this regard, he said.
“We had information from multiple sources regarding the involvement of Pakistan in funding the unrest in the Valley. The sting operation also suggests so. A team visited Srinagar on Friday and began a probe. We will question all those named in the PE including Geelani,” said the official.