NEW DELHI, June 12:
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today again questioned Altaf Ahmed Shah, son-in-law of hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, in connection with its probe into the funding of terror and subversive activities in Kashmir.
Shah, popularly known as Altaf Fantoosh, was earlier questioned by the NIA on June 9 about his movable and other properties, including houses in the Valley as well as in Jammu, and the source for their funding, official sources said.
Shah, who arrived again at the NIA headquarters today, was questioned by a team of agency officials about the alleged funding of the Geelani-led Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, the sources said.
There was no immediate reaction from Shah’s camp but his father-in-law had yesterday questioned the role of the NIA and said the probe agency was being used as a “war weapon” against separatist leadership in Kashmir.
Geelani, while chairing a meeting a day after his son- in-law was questioned by the NIA, alleged that the agency had crossed all limits and there was no legal justification for such arbitrary measures.
Shah’s Srinagar house was raided by NIA sleuths, who also searched the premises of others, such as Shahid-ul-Islam, a close aide of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who heads the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference, and businessman Zahoor Watali.
Apart from being the son-in-law of Geelani, Shah is perceived to be influential in the policies of the Tehrek-e- Hurriyat.
Hafeez Saeed, Pakistan-based chief of Jamaat-ul Dawah, the front of the banned Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), has been named in the FIR as an accused besides organisations such as the Hurriyat Conference (factions led by Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq), Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) and Dukhtaran-e-Milat.
The raids were part of NIA’s efforts to clamp down on separatist groups allegedly receiving funds for subversive activities in the Valley. (PTI)
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