Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin’s son arrested in 2011 terror funding case

Syed Salahuddin, Hizbul Mujahideen chief, speaks at a news conference in Muzaffarabad. (file photo)

Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin’s son, Syed Shahid Yosuf, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency on Tuesday in connection with the 2011 terror funding case.

Before his arrest, Yosuf, 42, was questioned by the NIA after his name cropped up during investigations. He will be produced before a magistrate later in the day.

NIA officials alleged that Yosuf had over the years received funds from Hizbul Mujahideen member Ajaz Ahmad Bhat alias Ajaz Maqbool Bhat.

“The NIA has already filed two chargesheets against six accused persons in this case in 2011. Out of these six chargesheeted accused, four including Ghulam Ahmad Bhat, close associate of Syed Ali Geelani, chairman Tahreek- e- Hurriyat are in judicial custody and facing the trial in the special court NIA, New Delhi. The other two namely Mohammad Maqbool Pandit and Aijaz Ahmad Bhat are still absconding. The red notice has already been issued against both the absconding persons,” NIA said in a press statement.

Yusuf is a post graduate in Agriculture and, since 2013, has been working in the department of agriculture Jammu and Kashmir as village agriculture extension assistant at his village Soibough in Budgam district.

The case dates back to 2011 when foreign money was allegedly pumped into Kashmir to fund terror activities. With Yosuf’s arrest, five persons have been arrested in the case so far.

Earlier this year, Syed Salahuddin was declared a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the US Department of State.