NIA issues third summon to separatist Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, likely to be interrogated in Delhi

In a major crackdown by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday, April 7, a summon has been issued to Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in connection with terror financing case. The agency has ordered Farooq to appear for the probe in the agency headquarters in the national capital in Delhi. This is the third summon issued by the investigative agency to Farooq in a year.

According to the notice, the Mirwaiz has been asked to appear at the National Investigation Agency (NIA) headquarters in New Delhi on April 8, Monday.

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Sources said that Mirwaiz Farooq will be accompanied by others of All Parties Hurriyat Conference — Prof. Abdul Ghani Bhat, Bilal Gani Lone and Masroor Abbas Ansari, and are likely to travel to Delhi. However, the exact date has not been confirmed by the spokesperson.

According to sources, the APHC had a meeting at Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz’s residence earlier in the day.

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The NIA had in February carried out searches at premises of separatist leaders, including Mirwaiz, in connection with the case related to alleged militancy funding in Jammu and Kashmir. However, despite repeated summons by the investigating agency, Mirwaiz had expressed his inability to join the investigation in Delhi fearing for his security in view of "conditions of hostility" several times.

"Under the prevailing conditions of hostility wherein there is a threat to the personal safety of my client, it becomes unwise for my client to travel to Delhi," counsel for Mirwaiz, Aijaz Ahmad Dhar, had said in a letter to the investigative agency.

The letter further added: "If the NIA wants to question the Mirwaiz, it can do so in Srinagar and he is willing to cooperate as "he has nothing to hide"

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The NIA probe seeks to identify the chain of players behind the financing of terrorist activities, pelting of stones on security forces, burning down of schools and damaging of government establishments.