Terror funding case: NIA raids house of Geelani's aide in Kashmir Valley

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) probe into a case of terror funding in the Kashmir Valley gained momentum on Sunday with raids being conducted on the office and residence of a Jammu-based lawyer linked to hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani and the agency summoning Geelani’s younger son Naseem for questioning.

The NIA is probing if lawyer Devinder Singh Behal, who is the chairman of the Jammu & Kashmir Social Peace Forum (JKSPF) that is part of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat headed by Geelani, has any role in diversion of funds to separatists in the Valley.

Behal is also a member of the legal cell of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat and has been seen attending funeral processions of militants.

During the raids on Behal’s properties in Jammu, the NIA recovered documents, mobile phones and a tablet. These will be sent for forensic examination to collecting more evidence, officials said.

This is the second raid in Jammu in connection with the case of terror funding.

Earlier, the agency had raided a businessman.

Officials claimed that they were now probing the role of couriers who helped separatists in routing funds from across the border.

Meanwhile, the NIA has summoned Naseem, younger son of Geelani, for questioning on Wednesday.

Nayeem Geelani, elder son of Syed Geelani, who was also summoned by the NIA, is a surgeon who is tipped as the successor to Geelani. He had returned from Pakistan in 2010 after spending 11 years.

The NIA has arrested seven separatists, including Geelani’s son-in-law Altaf Ahmed Shah alias Altaf Fantoosh, in the terror funding case.

Besides him, Geelani’s close aides Ayaz Akbar, spokesman of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, Nayeem Khan and Peer Saifullah were arrested.