NIA arrests HM chief Salahuddin's 2nd son in terror funding case

Srinagar: Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) chief Syed Salahuddin's second son was arrested on Thursday morning in the summer capital, Srinagar by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with a 2011 terror funding case.In June, Salahuddin's elder son was arrested by the NIA in the same case. He has been lodged in Tihar jail in New Delhi.

Official sources said that Syed Shakeel Yousuf, a laboratory technician at S K Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), was arrested by a joint team of NIA, police and CRPF personnel during a raid at Rambagh in uptown Srinagar.

''Yousuf had received money from his father through a US-based international wire transfer company from Aijaz Ahmed Bhat, another accused in the case who is absconding and based in Saudi Arabia,'' they alleged.They said the money was then used to fund militant and secessionist activities.

Yousuf is the second son of Salahuddin, who was arrested by NIA in the terror funding case. Earlier in June 2018, the HM chief's another son Shahid, who was working in the agricultural department of the Jammu and Kashmir government, was arrested in the same case.

The NIA has so far filed two chargesheets against six people, including G M Bhat, a close aide of hardline Hurriyat Conference (HC) chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mohammed Siddiq Ganai, Ghulam Jeelani and Farooq Ahmed. Interpol Red Corner notice has been issued against the other two-Bhat and Mohammad Maqbool.(UNI)