Custody of seven Kashmiri separatists extended till November 14

A court here on Tuesday extended till November 14 the judicial custody of seven Kashmiri separatists arrested on various charges, including receiving alleged funds to fuel unrest in Jammu and Kashmir.

During the in-camera proceedings, District Judge Poonam Bamba extended the judicial custody of Aftab Hilali Shah alias Shahid-ul-Islam, Ayaz Akbar Khandey, Farooq Ahmad Dar alias Bitta Karate, Nayeem Khan, Altaf Ahmad Shah, Raja Mehrajuddin Kalwal and Bashir Ahmad Bhat alias Peer Saifullah.

On July 24, the National Investigation Agency had arrested the seven on charges of criminal conspiracy and waging war against India.

Altaf Ahmad Shah is the son-in-law of Hurriyat (G) chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

Islam is a close aide of Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

Khandey is the spokesperson for the Geelani-led Hurriyat.

Meanwhile, the court also extended judicial custody of a businessman Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali and two youths Javed Ahmad Bhat of Kulgam and Kamran Yousuf of Pulwama for 30 days. Yousuf worked as a freelance photojournalist.

The NIA had on September 5 arrested the duo in connection with an ongoing probe into the alleged funding to stoke unrest in the Kashmir Valley.

Arrested in mid-August, Watali is accused of acting as a conduit for channelling funds for separatists and in the valley. The court will deliver order on the bail plea of Kashmiri separatist leader Nayeem Khan and Watali on Tuesday evening.