Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Mar 21: National Investigation Agency (NIA) today arrested a journalist, Irfan Mehraj, from Srinagar who had worked as a researcher for the human rights group, Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Societies (JKCCS).
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An official said that he was called for questioning by the NIA last evening and was later flown to Delhi. A resident of Padhshahi Bagh in Srinagar, Mehraj completed his Master’s in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir. He worked with various English dailies of Srinagar and also worked as a freelance journalist and his work has been published by many national and international media houses.
Apart from this, Mehraj also worked as a researcher for the JKCCS, which documented human rights violations in the Valley.
The NIA in a statement issued today said that following comprehensive investigations into the NGO militancy funding case registered in October 2020, it arrested Irfan Mehraj from Srinagar yesterday.
“Irfan Mehraj was a close associate of Khurram Parvez and was working with his organization, Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Societies (JKCCS). Investigation revealed that the JKCCS was funding militant activities in the valley and had also been in propagation of secessionist agenda in the Valley under the garb of protection of human rights,” the statement said.
The spokesman further stated that the involvement of some Valley based NGOs, Trusts and Societies in funding of militancy related activities is being probed in this case.
“Some NGOs, both registered as well as un-registered, have come to notice collecting funds domestically and abroad under the cover of doing charity and various welfare activities, including Public Health, Education etc. But some of these organisations have developed links with proscribed militant organizations, such as Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) etc,” read the statement.
Mehraj is the third journalist arrested by the NIA in the Valley. In 2018, they arrested photojournalist Kamran Yousuf. He, however, was acquitted by the NIA court last year. In October 2021, they arrested another photojournalist Manan Ahmad Dar and court while granting him bail in January this year said the charges against him were “mere assumptions”.
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