Terror funding case: Arrested separatist leaders sent to 10 days police custody

NEW DELHI: The seven Kashmiri separatist leaders, who had been arrested for allegedly receiving funds from Pakistan to sponsor terror activities, were sent to police custody for 10 days on Tuesday.

Earlier, the arrested Hurriyat leaders were produced before Delhi's

Patiala House Court

after being booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The NIA had sought 18 days custody of the separatists, who were arrested on Monday on charges of money laundering to fund terror in the Kashmir Valley. The agency said all seven accused need to be confronted and should be held in custody at separate places.

The seven separatists include Naeem Khan, Bitta Karate, Altaf Funtus, Ayaz Akbar, T Saifullah, Meraz Kalwal and Saheed Ul Islam.

The agency had visited Srinagar in May to probe the alleged funding by Pakistan for illegal activities in Kashmir, and questioned several separatist leaders on the issue of raising, collecting and transferring funds via the

Hawala

route and other channels to fund terror activities in Kashmir.

NIA sleuths specifically questioned separatist leaders

Farooq Ahmed Dar

alias Bitta Karate and Gazi Javed Baba at that time.

The NIA is said to be probing all aspects of funding to separatist leaders and how they reportedly used these funds to fuel unrest in the Kashmir Valley.

Meanwhile, authorities imposed restrictions in parts of Srinagar in view of a strike called by separatist groups against the arrest of the seven separatist leaders.