Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Monday again decided not to travel to Delhi, where he has been summoned by the National Investigation Agency for questioning in a funding case.
Mirwaiz’s lawyer wrote to the agency that the chief cleric was facing an “assassination threat” and he should, therefore, be questioned in Srinagar only.
The Hurriyat Conference (M) also supported the reasons cited by the Mirwaiz’s lawyer and stated that many people have been questioned by the agency at Humhama in Budgam and that he (Mirwaiz) too should be questioned in Srinagar.
Mirwaiz was summoned the second time by the NIA since March 10. He was asked to present himself before the agency’s office in Delhi on March 18.
Mirwaiz’s lawyer, advocate Aijaz Ahmed Dhar, had in his first letter also cited hostile atmosphere and security concerns as major reasons why his client couldn’t travel to Delhi. In his fresh response, Mirwaiz’s counsel writes that it is unfortunate that his client has not received any “express response” to his earlier communication.
“Instead a poor transmission of a notice which is not legible was delivered at his residence. My client also informed the local police station (about the issue) but they expressed their helplessness. With great difficult it appears that my client has once again been summoned to Delhi on March 18,” Dhar’s reply reads.
“It appears that the genuine concerns which had been mentioned in the earlier response have not been considered objectively. I reiterate that my client is not refusing to be examined in connection with the subject matter of some investigation.”
The chief cleric’s counsel further states in his response that his client has serious concerns about his safety, adding that security cover provided to him had been withdrawn “unilaterally”.
“Your attention is invited to some of the distressing comments which have appeared in mainstream print media since the news about him being summoned to Delhi. There are open calls for assassination,” the reply reads. “Merely stating in the notice that security will be provided to (Mirwaiz in Delhi) appears to be perfunctory observation.”
The Hurriyat chairman’s lawyer further states that there are serious implications to his client travelling to Delhi apart from security concerns, which were broadly identified in the first response.
“It seems that such concerns have escaped the attention of NIA,” the response reads. “I therefore ask you to consider the earlier responses and the present one fairly and fix time, date and place for examination of my client at Srinagar as may be convenient.”
Mirwaiz’s lawyer has in his reply mentioned the assassination threats issued to the Hurriyat chief on social media ever since NIA summoned him to Delhi.