Kashmiri biz man sent to 10-day NIA custody

A Delhi court on Friday sent Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Watali to 10-day NIA custody for interrogation after he was arrested by the investigating agency for allegedly collecting money from Pakistani-based terror organisations for Hurriyat leaders.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Poonam A Bamba agreed for the custody after it contended that the accused has to be confronted with evidence in which Altaf Ahmed Shah, the son-in-law of Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, and six others were earlier arrested by the agency.

During the in-camera proceedings , the judge said that it was the considered opinion of that ends of justice would be met by granting the custody to the agency.

According to sources, the probe agency said that it had found various suspicious documents from the accused during the searches, including details of bank accounts and cash received by him from various terror outfits.

Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, appearing for the agency, sought his custody for two weeks.

Watali was arrested on Thursday by the agency for alleged involvement in the case. Earlier, the agency had carried out raids at his premises and that of other suspects.