Court accepts terror charges against Kashmiri separatists

A court here on Friday accepted framing of terror charges against Pakistan-based terrorist leaders Hafiz Saeed and Syed Salahuddin and seven Kashmiri separatist leaders, accused of sponsoring and stoking terror in Jammu and Kashmir.

After taking cognisance of a NIA charge sheet, Judge Tarun Sahrawat directed the probe agency to supply the copies of the charge sheet to the accused.

The court listed the matter for a March 8 hearing.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on January 18 filed charges under stringent anti-terror laws against the jailed separatist leaders for allegedly conspiring with Saeed and Salahuddin to wage war against India and secede Jammu and Kashmir.

The NIA also charged businessman Zahoor Ahmad Watali and two alleged stone pelters -- Kamran and Javed Ahmed Bhat.

Bhat of Kulgam district with Kamran of Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir were arrested on September 5 last year while Watali was arrested on August 17.

The separatists, who were arrested on July 24, 2017, are Aftab Hilali 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.

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, and Khandey is the spokesperson for the Geelani-led Hurriyat.

--IANS

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