J&K: NIA Seals Hurriyat Conference Office in Srinagar Under UAPA Provisions

Srinagar: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today attached the office building of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) in Srinagar’s Rajbagh area. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the country’s anti-terror law today sealed the premises of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) office.

A team of NIA officials from Delhi arrived in Srinagar on Sunday (January 27) and enforced the order passed by a special court. In the ‘NIA vs Mohammad Hafiz Saeed and others’ case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

NIA officers said, "We are here to implement the court orders. We are not authorised to say anything more".

The case registered under sections of the Indian Penal Code 120B, 121, 121A, and several sections of the UAPA, including 18, 20, 38, 39, and 40, against Hafiz, a Pakistan-based terrorist, members of the APHC, proscribed terror organisations like Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and others for “funding of separatist and terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir”.

On Saturday, the Court further said that among the different allegations and evidence, it was also the case that the office of APHC was the place where meetings were held to strategize different protests, fund activities of stone pelting on security forces, and recruit unemployed youths to carry out unlawful activities. In addition, the court stated that it was also used to plan terrorist activities to create unrest in Jammu and Kashmir in order to wage war against the Government of India.

“In such a situation, taking into consideration the serious nature of the allegations against A-5 itself, the fact that he is part owner of the property in question, cannot be a reason for not attaching the property when it is not even made clear as to who others were co-owners of that property,” the court had said.

An order was issued by Shailender Malik, Additional Session Judge of Special NIA Court. It directed for the immovable property of APHC to be attached.