A Delhi Court today allowed Enforcement Directorate to quiz Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Watali and six others in a terror-funding case involving Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief and 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed.

Special Judge Rakesh Syal allowed ED officers to interrogate Watali and others on any two working days from 10th to 30th July.

Special Public Prosecutor Nitesh Rana, appearing for ED, told the court that seven people hatched a criminal conspiracy to carry out subversive and secessionist activities in Jammu and Kashmir and established a network of cadres who were funded through Pakistani agencies via hawala dealers, local conduits by raising funds through local donations and funds have also been received from abroad.

The court said that Arun Kumar, Assistant Director and Rajesh Kumar, Enforcement Officer of ED may interrogate and record statements of the accused who are currently in judicial custody on any two working days for each person after giving due notice to all concerned. They are allowed to carry case record and necessary stationery for the purpose.

A charge sheet was filed by the NIA in January this year against Hafiz Saeed, Hizbul Mujahideen leader Syed Salahuddin and others for conspiring to wage war against the government and fomenting trouble in the Kashmir Valley.

The court had taken cognisance of the charge sheet on 2nd February. The 12,794-page charge sheet also alleged that officials of the Pakistan High Commission here were passing on money through Watali to the separatists. The separatist leaders have been accused of taking a cut before handing over the money to foment trouble.

The agency has charged Pakistan-based terrorists Saeed and Salahuddin, besides others, with criminal conspiracy, sedition, and under stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Besides Saeed, Salahuddin and Watali, the agency has also named hardline pro-Pakistan separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s son-in-law Altaf Shah alias Altaf Fantoosh, Bashir Ahmad Bhat and Javed Ahmad Bhat as accused.

Hurriyat Conference leaders Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Farooq Ahmad Dar alias Bitta Karate, Mohammad Akbar Khanday and Raja Mehrajuddin Kalwal have also been charged by the agency in the terror funding case. It claimed money was also routed through fake and bogus companies floated abroad and remitted to the Hurriyat leaders in the state.