Kashmiri separatists' custody extended till November 15

New Delhi, Oct 17 : A Sessions court here on Tuesday extended until November 15 the judicial custody of seven Kashmiri separatists arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and allowed their video conferencing from prison in the next hearing.

During in-camera proceedings, the custody of Aftab Hilali Shah alias Shahid-ul-Islam, Ayaz Akbar Khandey, Farooq Ahmad Dar alias Bitta Karate, Nayeem Khan, Altaf Ahmad Shah, Raja Mehrajuddin Kalwal and Bashir Ahmad Bhat alias Peer Saifullah were extended.

The judge also allowed a plea for presenting the seven in court via video conferencing amid fears that they may escape from custody.

An official of Patiala House Courts complex told District Judge Poonam Bamba that as per information from security agencies, there was possibility that the accused -- arrested on charges of receiving funds from Pakistan for terror activities and stone-pelting in Jammu and Kashmir -- may escape while being transported to and from the Tihar Central Jail here.

The official said there was no proper arrangement in the court complex lock-up to keep the undertrials of highly sensitive cases.

The court allowed the plea and directed jail authorities to present the accused via video conferencing on November 15, the next date of hearing, court sources said.

On July 24, the NIA arrested the seven on charges of criminal conspiracy and waging war against India.

The court also allowed the NIA plea to extend the investigation for 90 more days since it needed more time to file a chargesheet.

The NIA said it needed time to unearth international movement of funds, adding that seized electronic evidences were sent to forensic laboratory for analysis and a report was awaited.

Altaf Ahmad Shah is the son-in-law of hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who advocates Jammu and Kashmir's merger with Pakistan. Islam is a close aide of moderate Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. 

Khandey is the spokesperson for the Geelani-led Hurriyat.

The court also extended the judicial custody of businessman Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali and two alleged stone-pelters Javed Ahmad Bhat of Kulgam and Kamran of Pulwama for 30 days.

The NIA on September 5 arrested the two alleged stone-pelters in connection with an ongoing probe into terror funding to stoke unrest in the Kashmir Valley.

Arrested in mid-August, Watali is accused of acting as a conduit for channelling funds for separatists and terror activities in the valley.

He was allegedly collecting funds from Pakistan and banned terrorist organisations and transferring the same to various Hurriyat leaders.

The court will hear the bail plea of Kashmiri separatist leader Nayeem Khan and Watali on October 24 and of Kamran on November 1.