NIA makes first arrest in NGO Terror Funding case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) stated on Tuesday that it has detained Irfan Mehraj of Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, in the NGO Terror financing case that was launched in October 2020.

Mehraj was apprehended by the anti-terrorist agency on Monday. According to the agency, he was a close acquaintance of Khurram Parvez and worked with his group, the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Societies (JKCCS). The agency stated that the action was taken as a result of extensive investigations into the NGO Terror financing issue.

“Investigation revealed that the JKCCS was funding terror activities in the valley and had also been in the propagation of secessionist agenda in the Valley under the garb of protection of human rights,” said the NIA.

Involvement of some Valley-based NGOs, Trusts and Societies in the funding of terror-related activities is being probed in this case, the agency said.

“Some NGOs, both registered as well as non-registered, have come to notice collecting funds domestically and abroad under the cover of doing charity and various welfare activities, including Public Health and Education,” the NIA added.

The agency further said that “Some of these organisations have developed links with proscribed terrorist organizations, such as Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), Hizbul Mujahideen (HM)”.

Soon after the arrest, JKPDP chief Mehbooba Mufti tweeted, “While conmen are given a free run in Kashmir, journalists like Irfan Mehraj are arrested for doing their duty by speaking the truth. Draconian laws like UAPA are abused constantly to ensure that the process itself becomes the punishment.”