The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has summoned Shahid Yousuf, son of Hizbul Mujahideen founder and chief of United Jihad Council (UJC) Syed Salahuddin, to New Delhi for questioning in a case registered against Hizbul Mujahideen in Delhi in the year 2011.
The summons, served to Shahid through SSP Budgam, has been issued by Ajeet Singh, Superintendent of Police NIA. It reads: “Whereas it appears that you are acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the case (RC-06/2011/NLA/DLI dated 25.04.2011), which I am investigating, you are hereby required to appear before me… for the purpose of answering certain questions relating to the case.”
Shahid Yousuf is a resident of Soibugh Budgam. He was served the summons on October 16 to present himself before NIA investigators at their New Delhi office on October 24, Tuesday.
Shahid is the third son of Mohammad Yousuf Shah, known by his nom de guerre of Syed Salahuddin, supreme commander of the UJC which is a conglomerate of more than twelve militant outfits.
A source close to Shah’s family in Soibugh told Kashmir Reader that Shahid was earlier questioned four times by NIA sleuths at their Humhama station. “He was questioned about his family and the NIA sleuths had taken his mobile phone as well,” the source said.
Salahuddin has five sons and two daughters, all of whom are married. His 70-year-old wife died of lymphoma in 2014. “She could have been treated in Delhi but the family was under financial duress,” the source claimed.
One of Shah’s sons has moved to Rambagh in Srinagar and lives there with his family while 40-year-old Shahid lives with his two brothers in a new house constructed some years ago in their ancestral village. Another son lives in the old house in their ancestral village.
Shahid has a Masters in Agriculture from a university outside J&K and he was regularised in the state’s agriculture department in March this year, after 8 years of service. He has three sons, one of whom is a patient of down syndrome.
“Shahid is being accompanied by the younger son-in-law of Salahuddin, Syed Omar Farooq, to Delhi,” the source informed. “They flew from Srinagar at 3pm today.”
Salahuddin, a former Jama’at-e-Islami J&K member, is founder of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen. He crossed the Line of Control (LoC) at the onset of militancy in Kashmir and came back to fight Indian forces. Currently, he operates from Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
The case in which Shahid has been summoned is titled: “Terror Funding in J&K through Hawala Transaction”. It dates back to 2011 when the Delhi Police Special Cell registered a case against Hizb-ul-Mujahideen under Sections 13, 17, 18 and 20 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
Following an Indian Ministry of Home Affairs Order, No. 1-11011/23/2011-IS-IV dated 15th April, 2011, NIA took over the investigation of the FIR No. 04/2011 dated 16/01/2011 Delhi Police Special Cell Police Station, Lodhi Colony, New Delhi, and re-registered the case on 07.09.2011 at NIA Police Station, New Delhi, as case RC-06/2011/NIA/DLI under Section 120(B) of IPC and Sections 17, 18 & 20 of UA(P) Act.
“The allegations in brief are that the money from Pakistan being sent to Jammu & Kashmir through Hawala channels via Delhi is suspected to be used in funding terrorism and secessionist activities. The money so supplied might have been provided to the terrorists and their sympathizers active in J&K,” the case summary reads.