NIA arrests Parvez in terror-funding case

New Delhi, March 22

The NIA today said it had arrested Khurram Parvez, the programme coordinator of Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Societies (JKCCS), in connection withits probe into an NGO terror-funding case.

He is also the chairperson of Philippines-based NGO Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD).

The NIA stated that its investigation revealed Khurram Parvez had allegedly been “collecting funds under the garb of fighting for human rights, from various international entities and persons based overseas and channelising those funds for funding terror activities in Kashmir.

“Khurram Parvez, along with his associates, was also propagating secessionist agenda through his various NGOs. He has already been charge-sheeted in another NIA case. He was formally arrested upon production in this case today,” it said.

The NIA said the case related to the terror funding for groups, such as Lashkar-e-Toiba and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, by certain NGOs, Trusts and Societies based in the Valley.

Meanwhile, a court sent Irfan Mehraj, a resident of Srinagar, to 10-day NIA custody. He was arrested on Tuesday in connection with the same case. He was a close associate of human rights activist Khurram Parvez and had been working with his organisation — JKCCS. Principal District and Sessions Judge Dharmesh Sharma allowed 10 days of custodial interrogation of Mehraj on the federal agency’s plea of 12 days of custody. (With PTI inputs)