Hawala trail: Syed Ali Shah Geelani stopped from going to Srinagar

Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, facing probe in a hawala case, was today stopped by the Delhi police from going to Srinagar after he tried to leave the city despite a notice by police against him.

The Delhi police had served the notice to Geelani asking him not to leave the capital but he allegedly proceeded this morning for the airport to catch a flight to Srinagar. Geelani, who had been given the notice last month, was served a fresh notice last night.

On the way, he was stopped by the police and was taken to Lodhi Road police station for questioning, official sources said.

"He has been called in to join investigations related to Hawala case. Our investigating officials questioned him over the matter," PN Aggarwal, special commissioner of police (special cell), said.

The recently-unearthed hawala trail in the Kashmir Valley has put the spotlight on some senior leaders of the Hurriyat conference following which the head of the hardline faction of the separatist grouping, Geelani was asked not to leave Delhi so that he could be questioned.

Spokesperson of the hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference Ayaz Akbar had alleged if Geelani was being implicated in the hawala case it would be construed as an attempt to defame the movement in Kashmir.

Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir police had recently arrested one of Geelani's close aides Ghulam Mohammed Bhat for allegedly receiving hawala money.