Apart from Geelani’s son-in-law Altaf Ahmed Shah, popularly known as Altaf Fantosh, the others to get 14 days’ judicial remand are Peer Saifullah, Mehrajuddin Kalwal and Nayeem Khan
A Delhi court today sent four Kashmiri separatist leaders, including the son-in-law of Hurriyat faction chief Syed Ali Shah Geelani, to 14 days’ judicial custody in the terror funding case. Apart from Geelani’s son-in-law Altaf Ahmed Shah, popularly known as Altaf Fantosh, the others to get 14 days’ judicial remand are Peer Saifullah, Mehrajuddin Kalwal and Nayeem Khan.
Three other separatist leaders — Shahid-ul-Islam, Farooq Ahmed Dar and Mohamad Akbar Khanday — were sent to judicial custody till September 1 on August 4. The court’s order came after the NIA submitted that they were not required for further interrogation. All seven accused were arrested on July 24 on charges that they were allegedly receiving funds from Pakistan to sponsor alleged terror activities and stone attacks on forces in the Kashmir Valley.
Defence counsel Rajat Kumar also prayed to the court regarding the “safety and security” of the accused persons after which the magistrate directed to the jail superintendent that all the accused persons be kept in “separate cells” to ensure their safety and security. When the proceedings began, the defence counsel argued before duty magistrate Pankaj Sharma that the “court of magistrate” has no jurisdiction to pass an order on the remand and pointed out sections under NIA Act. The court later said the jurisdiction lies with it to “dispose of the matter”.
