NIA makes first arrest in NGO Terror Funding case

New Delhi [India], March 21 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested Irfan Mehraj from Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir in the NGO Terror funding case registered in October 2020, the agency said on Tuesday.

The anti-terror agency arrested Mehraj on Monday. He was a close associate of Khurram Parvez and was working with his orgzation, the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Societies (JKCCS), said the agency.

The agency said the action was taken following comprehensive investigations into the NGO Terror funding case.

"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 orgsations have developed links with proscribed terrorist orgzations, 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."

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