Hizbul activist Shahid’s judicial custody extended to March 7

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Photo by Anil Shakya

Above: Photo by Anil Shakya

Patiala House Court’s District and Sessions Judge Poonam A Bamba on Tuesday (February 6) extended the judicial remand of Shahid Yousuf, under detention in Tihar jail in a terror funding case. The remand has been extended to March 7.

The son of Hizbul Mujahideen chief, Syed Salahuddin, Shahid was produced before the court on Tuesday.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had called Shahid, 42, a J&K government employee, for questioning on October 24, following which he was arrested. Allegations against him are that he was a fund-raiser for his Pakistan-based father Salahuddin. Shahid’s source of funds was Aijaz Bhat, originally from Srinagar now in Saudi Arabia. Bhat is a known Hizbul Mujahideen militant. The money would have been used to fund Hizbul Mujahideen’s activities in the state.

The 2011 terror funding case is also about the hawala channels used by Pakistan and Saudi-based militants.

Two chargesheets have been filed against the six accused in 2011. Of them Ghulam Mohammed Bhat, a close confidante of Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mohammed Sidiq Ganai, Ghulam Jeelani Liloo and Farooq Ahmad Dagga are now in Tihar Jail.

On the last day of hearing the court had extended Shahid’s judicial custody to Tuesday and this has now been further extended.

—India Legal Bureau