We will fly back to Srinagar soon, Prof Bhat

Srinagar, April 09: Chairman Hurriyat Conference (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Tuesday a day-long questioning session on the second straight day regarding the alleged militancy funding case at the National Investigating Agency headquarters in Delhi. He is likely to fly back to Srinagar by Thursday.

“His questioning started again today at 10:30 am at NIA headquarters. We are hopeful that he, myself and Bilal Lone will fly back to Srinagar soon,” senior Hurriyat Conference (M) leader Professor Abdul Gani Bhat told KNO over phone from New Delhi. “He said there was no need to worry as Mirwaiz was fit and fine.”

Mirwaiz, who left his Nigeen residence in Srinagar early morning Monday, along with two senior leaders of the amalgam, Professor Abdul Gani Bhat and Bilal Lone, had reached NIA headquarters in Delhi on time. Senior advocate Nazir Ahmed Ronga also accompanied Mirwaiz to Delhi. 

On Monday he was questioned for nearly nine hours. Source said that Mirwaiz was provided an adequate security cover at Delhi airport and a security escort from the airport to NIA headquarters.

Mirwaiz is being questioned in connection with the militancy funding case by the NIA. On Sunday, the Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman after taking the feedback from all the Hurriyat leaders and also from the Awami Action Committee (AAC) at his Nigeen residence after which he announced his decision of flying to Delhi to face the NIA questioning.

It was after third notice sent by the investigating agency that Mirwaiz decided to fly to Delhi. In the fresh notice, the NIA had assured the chief cleric that “his security concerns will be taken care of.” 

Earlier, in response to two notices sent to him by the NIA, Mirwaiz’s counsel had shot a written reply citing “hostile atmosphere in Delhi and security concerns as the main reason why his client couldn’t travel to Delhi.”(KNO)