26-Apr-2024  Srinagar booked.net

Kashmir

‘Khurram’s Close Aide’: NIA Arrest Kashmir Journalist Irfan Mehraj

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Srinagar: The National Investigation Agency arrested Kashmiri journalist, Irfan Mehraj and shifted him to New Delhi on Tuesday.  

Sources said that a team of NIA from New Delhi arrested Irfan from his residence in the Mehjoor Nagar area of Kashmir's capital, Srinagar. However, his family told The Wire that he was on an assignment when NIA called him for 'questioning' and was arrested thereafter. 
NIA also issued a statement, saying that the Journalist was a close ‘aide’ of Kashmiri human rights activist Khurram Parvez and was working with his organization, Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Societies (JKCCS). 
 
“Investigation revealed that JKCCS was funding militant activities in the valley and had also been in propagation of secessionist agenda under the garb of protection of human rights,” reads the NIA statement. 
 
As comprehensive investigations into the NGO (JKCCS) militancy funding case registered in October 2020, NIA arrested Irfan Mehraj from Srinagar yesterday, the statement reads. 
 
Notably, Khurram Parvez has been booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and other multiple charges with sections 120B, 121 and 121A of the IPC [Indian Penal code] and sections 17, 18, 18B, 38 and 40 of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) Act, 1967 and currently lodged in New Delhi’s Tihar jail.