New Delhi, Mar 22 (PTI) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday formally arrested jailed Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) programme coordinator Khurram Parvez in connection with its NGO terror funding case.
This comes two days after the federal agency nabbed Srinagar resident Irfan Mehraj, its first arrest in the case registered in October 2020. Mehraj was a close associate of human rights activist Parvez.
Parvez is in prison since his arrest by the NIA in November 2021 for anti-national activities, including collecting information on vital installations and deployment and movement of security forces, procuring secret official documents and passing the same to his LeT handlers through encrypted communication channels for monetary consideration. He was chargesheeted along with six others on May 13 last year.
“Parvez was formally arrested upon production in this (NGO terror funding case) case today (Wednesday),” a spokesperson of the federal agency said.
After the arrest of Mehraj from his Srinagar residence on Monday, the NIA said he was a close associate of Parvez, also a chairperson of the Philippines-based NGO Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD).
The Press Club of India on Tuesday demanded the immediate release of Mehraj, a journalist by profession. “We vehemently oppose the imposing of UAPA on mediapersons,” it said.
“The misuse of this draconian law by NIA (National Investigation Agency) in randomly arresting Irfan Mehraj, a journalist from Kashmir, ominously points towards a violation of freedom of speech and expression. We demand his immediate release,” the Press Club of India wrote on Twitter.
The NIA spokesperson said, “Investigations revealed that Parvez has been collecting funds under the garb of fighting for human rights, from various international entities or persons based abroad and channelising those funds for funding terror activities in Kashmir.” The official said Parvez, along with his associates, was also propagating a secessionist agenda through his various NGOs.
“The case relates to the terror funding of proscribed terrorist organisations, such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, by certain NGOs, Trusts and societies based in the Valley.
“Investigations have revealed that Khurram Parvez and his associates raised funds to support individuals who were involved in pelting stones at security forces personnel and also motivated others to extend similar support,” the spokesperson said.
He said these Trusts and societies, which have been under investigation, have utilised the funds raised by them to publish anti-national and incriminating materials to cause hatred and disaffection towards the government of India. PTI SKL IJT
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.