NIA conducts searches at residence of Salahuddin's son

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out searches at the residence of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin's son in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday. The NIA team reached Shahid Yusuf's residence in Budgam at 4am and searched the premises for 1.5 hours.

The team seized five mobile phones being used by Yusuf, a laptop and some incriminating documents from his house, an official said.

This comes two days after Salahuddin’s son Yusuf was arrested by the NIA for terror funding.

The funding was being done through illegal hawala channels, the NIA said.

An NIA spokesman said that 42-year-old Shahid, who was working in the Jammu and Kashmir government's agricultural department, has given the names of overseas Hizbul Mujahideen members involved in fund-raising for the terror outfit.

The NIA said that during questioning Shahid "admitted to having received funds from cadres of the Hizbul Mujahideen on the direction of his father, Mohammed Yusuf Shah alias Syed Salahuddin, for fomenting terrorist activities in the Valley".

The NIA alleged that Shahid used to receive funds through international wire money transfer from Aijaz Ahmed Bhat, an absconding accused, at present based in Saudi Arabia.

The agency alleged that Shahid is "one of several Indian contacts of Bhat" who have been in telephonic contact with him to receive the money transfer codes.

The case, registered by the NIA in April 2011, relates to transfer of money from Pakistan to Jammu and Kashmir through Hawala channels via Delhi which was suspected to be used in funding terrorism and secessionist activities.

The NIA has so far filed two charge sheets against six people which included G M Bhat, a close aide of pro-Pakistan separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mohammed Siddiq Ganai, Ghulam Jeelani Liloo and Farooq Ahmed Dagga. All the four were in judicial custody.

Besides them, two others - Mohammed Maqbool Pandit and Aijaz Ahmed Bhat - have also been chargesheeted by the NIA but both of them were absconding. An Interpol Red Corner notice has been issued against both.

In July, Hizbul chief Syed Salahuddin had admitted to a Pakistan TV channel that his group carried out terror attacks in India.

Salahuddin also admitted to purchasing weapons from international markets, adding that he has the capacity to deliver weapons anywhere if he is paid for it.

The US on June 27 had declared Salahuddin, "Specially Designated Global Terrorist", hours before visiting Prime Minister Modi's meeting with US President Donald Trump. 

(With inputs from PTI)