NIA summons Rashid after Watali names him as recipient of funds

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Sept 28: The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which has summoned Independent MLA from Langate Engineer Abdul Rashid Sheikh, is reported to have garnered evidence during questioning of Kashmir businessman Zahoor Watali that he had paid funds to a number of people including Rashid.
Engineer Rashid has become first mainstream politician from Jammu and Kashmir, who has been called by the NIA to its New Delhi Headquarters on October 3 for questioning, in connection with FIR No. RC-10/2017/NIA/DLI in which nearly a dozen separatists, businessmen and others have been arrested so far.
NIA Superintendent of Police, Vishal Garg has also written a letter to Legislative Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta informing him regarding notice under Section 160 CrPC issues to Abdul Rashid Sheikh, MLA Langate.
“The NIA, New Delhi is investigating case RC-10/2017/NIA/DLI related to terror activities/funding. During investigations, a notice under Section 160 CrPC for questioning Abdul Rashid Sheikh, MLA Langate has been issued for appearing at NIA Headquarters on October 3, 2017,” a letter written by Garg to the Speaker said.
In his letter to Engineer Rashid, Garg said: “you are acquainted with circumstances of the NIA case, which I am now assisting in investigations, under Chapter XII of the Code of Criminal Procedure. You are hereby required to appear before me at 11 am at NIA Headquarters on October 3 for the purpose of answering certain questions related to the case”.
According to sources prominent Kashmir businessman, Zahoor Watali, who had already been arrested by the NIA has named Engineer Rashid, MLA Langate and two leaders of Hurriyat Conference and JKLF (H) whom he had provided funds.
Sources said assets of Engineer Rashid were under radar of the NIA and he was likely to be questioned about their sources.
Sources said that the MLA had received money from Watali and they have some of the properties and business in partnership.
Rashid, an independent MLA from Langate in North Kashmir, has been denying any involvement in the case and has appealed to the Assembly Speaker to initiate an inquiry.
Rashid said that summoning him to NIA is politically motivated and he will continue to tell spade a spade whatsoever it may cost.
In a statement issued today Rashid asked New Delhi to introspect and understand that Kashmiris are not India’s enemies neither are seeking any resolution to 70 year long dispute on communal lines, but it is New Delhi which had promised right to self determination for people of the State.
Rashid questioned Government’s intentions and said that Government should investigate hundreds of custodial killings, forced labor in border areas and huge atrocities and torture on innocent civilians which took place during last 29 years, before dragging every sincere Kashmiri to New Delhi through NIA. He said that his life is like an open book and people who have voted for him second time as their representative against all odds are the best judge to judge his activities.
The NIA had lodged a case on May 30 against separatist leaders who have allegedly been involved  in funding separatism and militancy in Kashmir valley.
In the FIR, the probe agency stated that the case was registered on the charges of raising, receiving and collecting funds through various illegal means, including hawala, for funding separatist and terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir and for causing disruption in the Valley through pelting stones on the security forces, burning schools, damaging public property and waging war against India.
Lashkar-e-Toiba chief Hafiz Saeed has been named among the accused in the FIR, which also named organizations such as the two factions of the Hurriyat, led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the Hizbul Mujahideen and the Dukhtaran-e-Millat.
NIA has secured confessional statements from two of the accused in the case. A confessional statement was recorded before a Judicial Magistrate.
The NIA has arrested 10 people so far in the case. The list includes Altaf Ahmed Shah, Geelani’s son-in-law, and Watali. Geelani’s close aides Ayaz Akbar, who is also spokesperson of the hardline separatist organization Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, and Peer Saifullah have also been arrested.
Others in the list are Shahid-ul-Islam, spokesperson of the moderate Hurriyat Conference, Mehrajuddin Kalwal, Nayeem Khan, Farooq Ahmed Dar alias ‘Bitta Karate’, photo-journalist Kamran Yusuf and Javed Ahmed Bhat.

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