NIA custody of Kashmiri separatists extended for 10 more days

The Patiala Court on Friday extended the (National Investigation Agency) NIA custody of Kashmiri Separatists accused in the terror funding case till August 14, while the remaining separatists were sent to judicial custody for a month in the case.

The Police custody of four accused Altaf Funtoosh, Peer Saifullah, Nayeem Khan and Mehrajuddin Kalwal has been extended for ten days.

Accused Bitta Karate, Shahid Ul Islam and Ayaz Akbar Khandey have been remanded to judicial custody.

Speaking to ANI here, one of the separatists' advocate, Ravi Kaaji said, "The remand of all the separatists has expired today. NIA has claimed that they don't want the remand for three of the separatists. So those three culprits were given judicial custody."

The advocate informed that for the four remaining separatists, NIA has asked for further custody because they need to be questioned.

"The Court has examined NIA's record and has given further remand for 10 days," he added.

On June 24, seven Separatists were arrested.

A day after their arrest they were later sent to 10-day NIA custody.

The accused have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Six of them were arrested from Srinagar, while Bitta Karate was arrested from New Delhi.

The NIA 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.

The 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.

-ANI