Farooq Abdullah ‘congratulates’ NIA, asks it to probe if India also funded Hurriyat leaders

Srinagar: While “congratulating” the National Investigation Agency (NIA) over its probe into the funding of Hurriyat leaders, former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday asked the agency to investigate whether or not they received Indian funding as well.
A Delhi based online news portal quoted Farooq Abdullah as saying “I congratulate NIA for its probe on funding of Hurriyat leaders. From where the money has came and how it is been utilised we will get to know that soon. One fact should also be investigated if Indian Government funded Hurriyat or not.”
Seven separatist leaders, including the son-in-law of Hurriyat (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani and a close aide of Hurriyat (M) chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq were arrested by the NIA Monday this week.
The seven leaders arrested are Altaf Shah, Ayaz Akbar, Peer Saifullah, Mehraj Kalwal, Shahid-ul-Islam, Nayeem Khan and Bitta Karate.
Reports said that all of them were produced in the Patiala House Court Tuesday.
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.